As has been pointed out many times on AW, those elder attitudes seem to always exist. The Greatest Generation were once lazy do nothings. Yet they did "join". What we have seen in the last 25-30 years is different. It is documented. Sure, some organizations have not changed with the times, others have tried and missed. But most could be remolded if enough reformers who saw the basic value joined and participated. Still, there are lots of options out there. It isnt all drunken bowlers, or smoky VFWs. Why are all the docents at the CAF museum old dudes? Is there a problem with hanging around aircraft in a great environment and educating the public?
If the VFW wants younger members, isn't the onus on them to appeal to younger members? Sure, it could be remolded, but why should people join an organization that isn't a good fit for them on the hopes that if they put in a ton of effort, maybe (or maybe not) it will evolve into something that is a better fit, when instead they could just do something that's already a better fit? Hey, we know that to you this sucks and sounds terrible; join anyway and if you are lucky you an initiate changes that make it suck less!
If these older organizations want to continue to exist (much less thrive), they need to find ways to attract new members. Just throwing out that if potential new members don't like the organization they should join anyway, put in a lot of blood, sweat, and tears, and then hope that leads to an organization they actually want to be part of is simply never going to work. Remodel it yourself in order to keep it relevant to future potential members, or else they are never going to come in meaningful numbers. Clearly the "basic value", as it stands isn't enough, or isn't conveyed clearly enough. That's a problem for the current members to address, not for future members to tackle.
If you are part of these organizations and want to see the thrive, what are you doing to attract younger people? If you aren't sure what that looks like, talk to younger people about their impressions of the groups, what appeals to them, what they find unappealing, and what misconceptions exist. Even if bowling and Miller Lite are an inaccurate perception, people join, or not, based on their perceptions so that's the organizations problem to address.
If you think kids not joining things is bad and unhealthy, give them something they want to join.
I recently joined a women's philanthropic organization where the average age is probably 75. (My opportunities to be the youngest person in a room are dwindling, so it's nice to be the youngin' in the group.) I joined because I saw the "basic value", but also because the organization is evolving with the times. The group of 50 years ago wouldn't have been a good fit for me. The group of today is, even though there are still some aspects that feel a little antiquated to me. Those don't overshadow the rest of it. They used to be very Christian-focused, but knowing that's not how younger people tend to operate, they've moved away from that. Meetings used to start with a prayer, but now that has become an inspirational reading, which might be from a non-Christian religious book, or even entirely secular sources, for example. They also have side activities like book clubs and wine tastings. The group evolved and that is drawing in some younger (relatively speaking) members. They didn't just say, "take it or leave it, and once you are here maybe you can change it if you want", because they know that's a bad bargain few will take.
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