arcticorangutan on Nostr: Joining clubs that don’t want me as a member “I Don’t Want to Belong to Any ...

Joining clubs that don’t want me as a member

“I Don’t Want to Belong to Any Club That Will Accept Me as a Member.”

Groucho Marx’ famous quote rings both funny and true. Most people would like to be accepted to only clubs that are more prestigious and higher status than themselves.

However, I’m personally finding this quote accurate and insightful from a slightly different angle: I am seeking out experiences, clubs and products that are not actively looking for members… not because they are secretive but because they are relentlessly focused on quality rather than marketing.

Let me give you an example. When I lived in San Francisco, I would frequently play Tennis on the Dolores Park courts on weekends. Often after our match, my Tennis partner and I would relax in the park for a little bit. On one particular day, we saw a group of people practicing acrobatics on the grass, one of whom stood out with some incredible manoeuvres. We walked up to them and found out that he was teaching the rest of the group in a discipline he referred to as movement practice.

What was remarkable to me about the encounter was that my friend and I clearly showed interest in joining his class but rather than being keen on getting us onboarded, he was barely forthcoming with any additional information. He clearly was not interested in selling his product and neither was the very basic and bland website he had set up. Instead he was clearly focused on his craft first and foremost.

And yet he clearly had an avid following. This combination was what convinced me to try out his class and it ended up being one of the most enriching experiences of my time in San Francisco.

Over and over in my life, I have found these rare clubs and products, the ones that don’t advertise but just focus on quality, among the most worthwhile. And so I will keep pursuing clubs that don’t want me as a member.