How We Could've Changed the Culture But Didn't.

[pauluffel]

This thread is doing a wonderful job of showing some of the changes FIRST has undergone. We have the example of the student who does not see a goal to be obtained, just a fun journey. After that we have the strong mentor who chastises him and realizes what they are doing through this and merely put forth their ideas and don"t consider themselves the ultimate view of what is right. Once this strong view is presented, several people show up not to go further and explain goal or ideals to the misguided student who has just been reprimanded, but rather to yell at them more and then go even further and say that John is exactly right, which even he acknowledges is not true. As he stated at the end of his post "Brandon - Do as you will." he knows that what he says is not proper in a conversation of peers, but is necessary to show the student the error of his ways. John"s post pleases me greatly that someone I respect and look up to would take action, but the people after him who just chime in to say "yay!" and not add anything to the discussion are nearly as guilty as Steve at tainted the idea of FIRST. In a discussion about how FIRST has fallen from the path of righteousness and how that should be changed, a perfect example springs up as to how it has fallen and also a perfect chance to help rectify this has come up. By continuing what John has started, those of you who believe he has done the right thing in correcting Steve could have gone on to teach Steve what is right rather than just commending John on his initial confrontation.
We students may do foolish things, but that"s why people under he age of 18 are minors with limited rights. When ever we mess up, we need you mentors to tell us that what we did is wrong, just like John did, but we also need the others of you to teach us what is right, rather than just telling us not to do it again. Just like the anti-drug campaign, people don"t need to be told once more that drugs are bad, rather they need something to do [i]instead/I] of drugs.
Any suggestions as to what we can do to be better FIRSTlings?