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RazörFist @RAZ0RFIST - I will take the contrariwise opinion to your contrariwise opinion:
AmFest was an Tijuana back-alley abortion this year, from which nothing constructive has emanated, attended almost exclusively by those motivated by networking, gladhanding, and making money via podcasts.
To have attended is an indictment of either your discernment or your motives.
It was doubly disappointing, as last year (which I attended) was comparatively youthful; college kids everywhere, revelry and celebration, a sense that the future is now. I was blown away by the energy.
This year?
Bickering boomers.
Personified by a crowd that was grayer than Gandalf's pubes.
For a primarily College-based organization, this is apocalyptic Mission Drift, at a minimum. At maximum, an attempt to court the donor demographic.
In either event, an ominous augury for TPUSA's future.
Quote
DataRepublican (small r) @DataRepublican
TPUSA Amfest has been over a few hours, and going to take a contrarian opinion.
This is not the same opinion I would have held one year ago. It’s the opinion I hold after studying NGOs and how 10,000+ organizations can work together for the same goal.
We need more of those conventions. We need more of those debates. They aren’t civil wars. They are growing pains in learning how to coordinate at scale, in allowing individuals to have a voice.
By and far the biggest weakness of conservatives is that we’ve been content to let institutions act as coordinating nodes. Now that it’s becoming increasingly clear that institutions simply aren’t functioning, we have to replace that role ourselves.
NGOs coordinate and synchronize their own messaging through lavish million-dollar-plus conventions which happen constantly. And I think it’s a great thing that we’re finally starting to develop these conventions, as messy as they are.