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I think you're referring to texting in a different context than I was. Members arranging carpools apparently know or, at minimum, have met each other and that's why they're arranging to carpool.
The context was different regarding texting I was speaking on. I was giving an example of how I've gotten looped into meeting people online who were very inept at communicating even via text messaging. This latest incident was a person who came to my group and instead of using direct messaging on MU as the mode of communication, they only typed "hi" and then "text me (and listed a phone number.)" They, a person sight unseen, want me to text them. Why? Whatever they need to say or ask before we meet in person, they can do as a direct message.
But they're asking me to text them - I'm not doing it. Especially knowing that people can and do create fake phone numbers through Google for trickery. There are plenty of scammers on MU. It's easy because they can come to your group page, pose as a person interested in your group or sign up as a new members, post a picture of a non-intimidating looking person (or a pic so far away that facial details are obscured) and claim that's them but their intent is to do God knows what if their scheme works.
LOL at the many needing therapy or OTOH not so funny .
The non-vegan joining a vegan group is way out of bounds.
That wasn't my experience with the only MU group I participated in for competitive advanced-level 10s players. It only went on for 6 weeks but I didn't notice any childish behavior. Maybe that happens more with groups for beginners.
I was going to attend a large MU group (200+ members) in my profession for networking purposes in large cities. Of course you'll find some people in large groups who have behavioral disorders but it appears the ones you were in organized always had that?
May someone save you & your family if it was a political group.
First, is there already an existing group close by that is basically the same as yours? Consider joining forces. Or, with a "real-life" group.
I belong to a number of groups but am only active with 1 at the moment. For me, the name of the group has to be both enticing to my interests and a clue as to the "personality" of the group.
To try to raise the number of active members, look at your own group's name along with how you post events. I'll use the group I'm active with as examples. The name of the group is Pointless Pontificators - it made me laugh! Right away you know that it's a discussion group, the host has humor, and the members are (hopefully) fairly intelligent - otherwise, they wouldn't understand the title. Our events each have a subject matter theme so not only do I have an idea of what to expect, I'm able to think about the event beforehand so I can plan an appropriate outfit for the weather and location and also think about what I can add to the discussions. Additionally, our host post different cartoons making fun of the subject for that evening's discussion - again another clue as to the culture of the group.
Here's a link to my current favorite MU group so you can look over what's posted.
[url]https://www.meetup.com/Pointless-Pontificators/[/url]
As a discussion group, we have to have a central place to meet and keep the group small enough for everyone to be heard around the circle. The fee we each pay is just $1 per event and that ends up covering the host's expenses. Attendance is taken and anyone who is a no-show gets 1 of 3 "strikes against them" which means they can only attend if the rsvp's remain with space open. Perhaps you can do the same thing with your hikes. After all, you guys can only talk amongst yourselves if there aren't too many people. Likewise, you'll scare away wildlife if there are too many. (Realize some of this is actually "justification" for limiting the rsvp's so that the impression is that the group is extremely popular. Also set up your MU page to ask for reviews of those who rsvp'd "yes" to keep peeps involved.)
Thanks for this information! It helps to know that it's not just me. The weird people joining these groups but not doing the work is not cool. I'm not a therapist. Dealing with or trying to help people with severe social or anxiety disorders is not something that I'm qualified for nor inclined to take on. I don't want to push them over the edge or make them worse than they are. My thoughts are these individuals should NOT be joining groups outside of those which specify its targeted to persons suffering with anxiety (which there is a Meetup group that focuses on that in this area).
I'm a Generation Xer which means texting and FB are not my primary modes to socialize or communicate with people. I prefer to either talk on the phone (it saves time as opposed to texting) or talk in person (cuts down on misunderstanding text-speak). Nevertheless, I've had a person just recently contact me via Meetup and post their phone number saying "text me". My thoughts are "Why? This is an open event. If you can make it, then RSVP and show up. If not, DM me that something came up and then no worries. If you have a question, ask it in the DM to me; otherwise why I do I need to text a person I don't know? I will not get caught up in the texting loop again as on several occasions I've texted persons, at their request, whom I didn't know and the conversation went something like this:
Them: hi
Me: Hi, how are you?
Them: cool
Me: So, how has your day been? Pretty good?
Them: ya.
What are they, 5 yrs old? Or is this a bot? I stop texting at that point and go on with my day because I'm a very busy person in my profession and don't have time for unproductive behavior. Plus, I don't keep my phone on me at all times checking it nor am I scrolling every 5 minutes to see who has posted what or how many LIKES I've received. That's just NOT important to me at all. I may not check my phone again until maybe that evening when I'm about to leave work. I see a new text. I check it and it's the TEXTING person who has yet to communicate to me what they want.
Them: hi
Me: (I have nothing more to say as this is a person who wants to text only but lacks necessary skills in communicating. From prior experience with these types, I know trying to get them to hold a conversation via text is like pulling teeth so I don't bother responding anymore).
LOL. I hate texting too. And it does make it so much worse if they've nothing to say. A fb group page would be a good idea, though.
First, is there already an existing group close by that is basically the same as yours? Consider joining forces. Or, with a "real-life" group.
I belong to a number of groups but am only active with 1 at the moment. For me, the name of the group has to be both enticing to my interests and a clue as to the "personality" of the group.
To try to raise the number of active members, look at your own group's name along with how you post events. I'll use the group I'm active with as examples. The name of the group is Pointless Pontificators - it made me laugh! Right away you know that it's a discussion group, the host has humor, and the members are (hopefully) fairly intelligent - otherwise, they wouldn't understand the title. Our events each have a subject matter theme so not only do I have an idea of what to expect, I'm able to think about the event beforehand so I can plan an appropriate outfit for the weather and location and also think about what I can add to the discussions. Additionally, our host post different cartoons making fun of the subject for that evening's discussion - again another clue as to the culture of the group.
As a discussion group, we have to have a central place to meet and keep the group small enough for everyone to be heard around the circle. The fee we each pay is just $1 per event and that ends up covering the host's expenses. Attendance is taken and anyone who is a no-show gets 1 of 3 "strikes against them" which means they can only attend if the rsvp's remain with space open. Perhaps you can do the same thing with your hikes. After all, you guys can only talk amongst yourselves if there aren't too many people. Likewise, you'll scare away wildlife if there are too many. (Realize some of this is actually "justification" for limiting the rsvp's so that the impression is that the group is extremely popular. Also set up your MU page to ask for reviews of those who rsvp'd "yes" to keep peeps involved.)
Good luck growing your group
Thanks for the suggestions and well wishes.
Your Meetup group's page put a smile on my face! You guys are funny and I can imagine it's so much fun when you meet. It's a large group too.
I noticed on their MU page that if members bring guests, they must be in the member's RSVP. The thing is how does that get enforced? I know from being a member of four groups (not counting the one I now host) that if your group is public, the location and time of the event is accessible to anyone who visits your page. Consequently some people will always just SHOW UP without a RSVP. Others will RSVP and NOT SHOW.
I like the $1 fee your host charges. One group I was in, a woman's hiking group, charged $1 also. The other group never charged but they were an organization so maybe the organization paid the fee to maintain the Meetup page. I'm not sure how the organization recouped their money in that case.
You're right, when too many people show up for an event, what theoretically should have been a good time turns into a logistical nightmare trying to accommodate everyone in the space. The space may or may not be large enough. The host cannot be heard when verbally disseminating information when there is a large crowd. Another issue is that for introverts like myself, the intimacy disappears with a large group. This causes the introverted person to either feel uncomfortable or disconnected from the group. Those are the types who come out once to a meetup event and NEVER return to another one. From that point forward, they'll state that they don't like Meetup.
First, is there already an existing group close by that is basically the same as yours? Consider joining forces. Or, with a "real-life" group.
I'm in a rural area in a town with about 40,000 population. There are five other groups; three of them active. However, NO, there's not another existing group similar to mine within a 50 mile radius. The groups that are here all have a very difference focus from my group.
The only other group I'd be remotely interested it doesn't meet often enough for me to want to join. There is often months in between their activities.
I went to two meetup groups one was for dog walking which was the idea that people would meet and bond over dogs and walking . The lady who was the co-ordinator was very bossy but she never got around to more than once or twice a month walks . Most of the people were kind of snotty and stand offish . The second meet up group was for getting together for dinner with couples our age upper 50's . They met once had a small turn out and the lady who was the organizer moved away after one month . I kind of saw that coming because she said she was not happy here in the state and she wanted to go back to texas where she was from. I have not waisted my time since thank God .
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My MeetUp's
Inquiring mind
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