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The Slow Death of (local) Esperanto Associations

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Ubutumwa 21

ururimi: English

Tempodivalse (Kwerekana umwidondoro) 23 Ndamukiza 2015 16:48:31

joewolz:A good friend of mine and I were discussing this topic the other day, except about the Rotary Club and the Freemasons. Membership is down in both organizations, especially for younger people (I'm 33 and belong to no clubs).

My friend's idea is that belonging to clubs is too hard for most people our age these days. You figure we both work full time, our spouses work full time, we have children, and student loans. Between working, commuting, housework (shared between partners), and cooking (also a shared responsibility) there really is no time for hobby groups. I mean, just earning a living and maintaining a house is easily 80-90 hours a week.
That sounds reasonable ... I also think the Internet has played a role - why spend the time to meet up in person when you can connect to people with similar interests/ideals as yourself at the click of a few computer buttons?

The "workaholic" lifestyle does seem to play a role too - especially in Western Europe and the US. (A relaxed place like Greece, on the other hand...) I wonder if this is a cultural shift of attitude, or if the younger generations are just too overworked.

se (Kwerekana umwidondoro) 24 Ndamukiza 2015 00:27:14

joewolz:My friend's idea is that belonging to clubs is too hard for most people our age these day
I certainly agreed wholeheartedly as I went through these process thus I did not even bother to learn any new languages.

A little lament that the Universala Kongreso opening ceremony cannot even use the youtube facilities to broadcast live on youtube.

There are many tech expert in this forum at least but no one demanded it to so. I did once but they told me they did not have the personnel to look at it.

What kind of answer ? Typical burocratic style of attitude.

Even the landa kongreso also can do so as youtube does not limit to that as long as you can provide the true occasion. Many political parties in my country are doing it for the forum, panel of discussion even talks in the cafe. The recorded item is placed in the youtube account. Those who cannot view live can view it later.

Esperantujo never goes with time as I lamented times and again. If you like this to happen, perhaps, leave more messages in the 100th UK on Facebook page.

Epovikipedio (Kwerekana umwidondoro) 25 Ndamukiza 2015 20:54:09

I see that Esperanto was particularly limited to the clubs and the associations. With Internet, it will become really open.

robbkvasnak (Kwerekana umwidondoro) 25 Ndamukiza 2015 23:07:23

I do not attend many Esperanto meetings because I do not have the money to travel. I would like to very much, but what I make here in the USA is not enough There is somehow the assumption that everyone in the USA is rich - that is not true. There was a time when we had a bigger middle class and I used to make more but since the Reagan rule/regime things have been going steadily downhill for most of us.

Hillari (Kwerekana umwidondoro) 26 Ndamukiza 2015 02:07:43

I used to attend the local Esperanto organization where I live. But then I went back to school, my work hours changed, etc. The group I was in didn't have very many younger people (under age 30) as members. Outreach was hard, as we were always in competition with more well-known and popular languages. The meeting were conducted entirely in Esperanto, which was intimidating to those who new to the language and trying to learn it.

Cdub4language (Kwerekana umwidondoro) 26 Ndamukiza 2015 07:10:58

We discussed this in our local group (in France) recently. We wondered if now that we have the internet, we don't NEED the local conversation groups in order to keep Esperanto alive. Young people certainly seem to prefer the online contact - perhaps because they are busier? We have a couple "young esperantists" in my region, but only a few attend the gatherings; the rest of the members are older. Several learned Esperanto only as a hobby after retirement.

Alkanadi (Kwerekana umwidondoro) 26 Ndamukiza 2015 13:55:18

robbkvasnak:I do not attend many Esperanto meetings because I do not have the money to travel. I would like to very much, but what I make here in the USA is not enough There is somehow the assumption that everyone in the USA is rich - that is not true. There was a time when we had a bigger middle class and I used to make more but since the Reagan rule/regime things have been going steadily downhill for most of us.
That is true. The average Canadian now has a higher income than the average American.

Democracy is a fragile thing. People assumed that it could never be lost. We thought that we are too advanced and too wise to ever lose it.

Now in American, to win an election you have to be the best fundraiser, not the best candidate.

American is becoming a plutocracy. If Americans want to stop the slow and steady shift away from democracy then it is essential to get money out of politics.

lagtendisto (Kwerekana umwidondoro) 26 Ndamukiza 2015 16:26:07

Tempodivalse:I also think the Internet has played a role - why spend the time to meet up in person when you can connect to people with similar interests/ideals as yourself at the click of a few computer buttons?
Because its much more interesting and non-anonymous to meet people face-to-face and have nice chat.

Tempodivalse:The "workaholic" lifestyle does seem to play a role too - especially in Western Europe and the US.
Welfare state system of Western Europe is founded much better than that one of US (and Eastern Europe, too). Western/Northern Europeans don't 'stand with spine to wall'.

Tempodivalse:(A relaxed place like Greece, on the other hand...) I wonder if this is a cultural shift of attitude, or if the younger generations are just too overworked.
Youth unemployment rate in Greece is biggest one through EU.

se:Esperantujo never goes with time as I lamented times and again. If you like this to happen, perhaps, leave more messages in the 100th UK on Facebook page.
Sorry, who cares about that kind of message overflow? Furthermore more and more younger folks escape Facebook. Simply that Social Network is getting non-cool more and more. Also Facebook evaluates more and more like tool what automaticaly monitors activities of citizens (i.e. use of Facial recognition system to find and commercialize relationships between FB members).

robbkvasnak (Kwerekana umwidondoro) 28 Ndamukiza 2015 19:17:14

The last time the UK took place in a city where US Americans can travel easily was in 1984 - over 3 decades ago!!! We still are not allowed to travel freely to Cuba where it took place in 2010. It is too bad. Where I live it is hard to organize "local" meetings because some people live in Miami and others in Lake Worth - that's about 140 km apart! Who wants to travel such a distance to be with others for a few hours? And the Landa Asocio doesn't give us any support - they only want us to become members there.

Ellimist0 (Kwerekana umwidondoro) 7 Rusama 2015 13:26:14

Going to meetings and joining clubs is definitely hard.

Would it be more reasonable to have a chat room only for Esperanto? (Preferably voice chat, since that's what I personally need more exposure to)

Just something to sit in on and participate with while you're browsing. Chat rooms with different topics like politics, sports etc. just to boost immersion and participation levels for speakers and learners

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