SELLING A BIRTHRIGHT: THE MODERN BURDEN OF EXCLUSIVE

Have you seen those ads aimed at the over 50 crowd about drunk driving  with an elephant are in the room as a man obviously intoxicated, pulls out his keys and heads for the car? Today many countries have realized people who are drinking loss capacity to regulate. Until the 70's driving drunk was tolerated as long as you didn't hurt someone. Today, countries have understood that approach is high risk.  Convictions for DUI range from a lifetime driving ban to costly fines and suspensions. In Ontario for a first conviction, when you roll in fines and insurance costs a fellow is out of pocket about $16,000 before his licence is returned. Tidy little snap shot of cultural maturity.   I have always been fascinated by process; especially the reaction of a group confronted with the 'elephant in the room'.   

And yes, freemasonry has them too.  Today I want to talk with you about a large, very old elephant.  Once we were exclusive. Today we happily give memberships to disinterested men and wonder why the elite choose instead a massively expensive, toney Golf and Country Club.  Q'elle surpris!  Why would a well rounded, successful man want to associate with people who lack self discipline, unremarkable underachievers and obsequious?  

There is much about freemasonry that is fundamentally rewarding. Giving out the birth right of intellectual exclusivity is not.  We can agree I think, that it is a daunting task to think about how to regain that high ground; so vexing many discussions end in a frustrating impasse. 

I wonder.  Is that because we are collectively insecure about the foundations of freemasonry?  Are we unwilling to pay the price? Or are we lacking vision needed to impart a sense of exculsive right to our fraternal Order in a landscape where equal has become a step down?