An Analogy - Is BSA a Sinking Ship?

[jkhny]

A SIMPLE ANALOGY

 

BSA is a sinking cruise ship.

 

Now this cruise line came highly recommended - your family has used them for generations.

 

Your grandfather took a bunch of cruises with them when he was a kid. Your father learned to swim in the pool on board. Your parents brought you on a few cruises when you were a boy. The had great ships, best there are, the best Captains and crew. You remember all the activities and the great pool and the shuffleboard and the skeet shooting and great food... You even learned some nautical skills from the really nice crewmen. But this isn't quite what the travel agent described or what you remember.

 

You've had a pleasant enough trip but you're in the middle of the ocean and seas are getting a bit rough. And it's becoming clearer and clearer that the ship IS sinking. Enough people have said it and you went down to the engine room -long hike THAT was - and saw all the water pouring in and people arguing with a crewman). But the Captain was still saying "all is fine" when you got into the lifeboat with that former First Mate - "This Cruise Line's gone to hell in the past 20 years" he was muttering. If HE's leaving, well so are you.

 

The Captain and crew just won't acknowledge the ship is sinking. But you noticed a few crewmen in other lifeboats that left earlier.

 

 

Now the ship doesn't HAVE to sink.

 

The scuttling valves were opened by mistake but nobody will admit that. So water is pouring in.

 

Now some Officers and crewmen tried to tell the Captain "These are the wrong valves" or "there's water coming in" but were fired for contradicting him. Some argued the issue, others didn't. But they're now long gone on lifeboats and have probably reached probably land by now. This was while we were still close to Puerto Rico.

 

Some passengers are noticing the water on the lower decks but the Captain says all is fine. A few push the issue to other Ship's Officers. One - who seems competent - says quietly, yes there IS a problem but "trust us, its's small and under control." You trust him.

 

But the water's up to your knees if you're farther back in the ship and you're getting skeptical. You don't know what's going on but aren't taking anyone's word that all is fine. You're not arguing the point, you're on a lifeboat and out of there - real fast.

 

Or maybe you're dry and don't see ANY problem - you're an experienced seaman and YOU don't see any problems, You just wonder what all the ruckus is below decks...but you're not on duty or your job is in the radio room.

 

The passengers up on the deck that can barely find their cabins are enjoying the view - most are oblivious.

 

A few notice that the ship does seem to be getting lower in the water, but "were not experts"

 

Still, the Captain and officers keep getting complaints from people saying the ship is sinking.

 

There aren't any more Officers or crewmen saying that but some of those raising the alarm are experienced seamen - even one old retired First Mate. Even a few marine architects, ship designers. They didn't take "all is fine" at face value. The saw some water and kept looking for the source. They saw that the water's coming from the scuttling valves even though crewmen in front of the doors are saying no, that's not true...

But the Captain won't listen. "All is fine"

 

A few passengers looking around in the bowels of the ship try to close the valve THEY found dumping water into the bilge. They get in a few turns before they're pulled off by the crew and are given a choice - stay and shut up or leave. Most head for the lifeboats. A few start screaming "The ship is sinking" - they're thrown overboard.

 

Seeing this, others give up trying to get the crew's attention. Others trying to close the valves themselves can't get past the added crewmen on guard.

 

THEY get on lifeboats - they leave.

 

SOME stubborn ones are still trying to get the valves closed. One fool thrown overboard actually climbed BACK on the boat instead of gettting onto a passing lifeboat.

 

He's jumping up and down screaming "the Ship is sinking" - the Captain says "He's crazy - ignore him - and tries to throw him overboard again, but he runs away...he's running all over the ship saying "we can STILL save the ship" He's ignored.

 

A few actually go after one of the crewmen guarding a valve but trying to get him out of the way, but he runs away and locks himself BEHIND the door of the compartment filling with water.

 

One valve actually gets left unguarded - the crewman fell asleep. A passenger closes it but can't find his way back to the deck...

 

One crewman, unwilling to follow a bad order closes the valve he's guarding, but won't speak out. The water is still rising. Other valve MUST be open but he quietly boards a lifeboat.

 

Another crewman, won over by the arguments of the passengers, closes another valve. But the water's now pretty deep.. best to leave the ship. They leave after one last attempt at warning others.

 

Lots of valves are open - more than anyone realizes. and the water's getting deeper. The Captain and crew still won't admit to problems.....

 

The few left arguing with crewmen while water pours out are getting frustrated. They're heading for the lifeboats soon as well......

 

Some people lounging about have actually noticed that all the "crazy" people talking are not talking about the SAME valve. One is in the engine room, another in the froward bilge, another was in locker 122 while one was in locker 18. More than one is open, but nobody knows how many. But Ships Officers say all is fine, or the problem is under control. The Captain is threatening to throw ANY "complainers" overboard....

 

And what's this about a fire raging out of control in the radio room now? (And why did the Captain give an order NOT to send an SOS but transmit a message that "All is fine, great Cruise" just before the fire?)

 

Well,those who've noticed all this now head for the lifeboats too. But guess what. The ship is running out of lifeboats. There's not enough for everyone left now. Probably never WERE enough.

 

 

It is in the best interests of all on board to listen to "the screaming maniac" and AT LEAST investigate to see if he's right. Closing off compartments won't work after too much water gets on board.

 

If the valves are open, CLOSE THE VALVES, start slamming doors shut to keep the water from filling the whole ship and TURN ON THE PUMPS.

 

If you have to throw the Captain and some crewmen overboard to do so, then throw them overboard.

 

 

(But Alabama is all the way at the other end of the ship - not where I am. So's Georgia and Alabama and Florida. But Oregon's open too. OK, the ship's sinking by the stern. Even if you close off those compartments, there's alot of water at that end of the ship already. And there's a fire in Idaho. An open valve or two - or six - or ......what harm can they really do? ) Well Chicago has barred the door - from the inside even though the water's getting deeper. No way is that valve getting turned off (unfortunately that compartment isn't watertight). That emergency drill in Virginia should have proved that we're prepared for anything (well anything except what it pretty typical for Virginia in August).

 

 

After you've gotten on the lifeboat you can't help but notice some warnings signs when you think back.

 

The ship was a bit empty when you sailed - turns out each cruise has had less passengers than the cruise before it....

 

And wasn't that the same ship you were on as a boy - for that matter isn't it the same one your grandfather talked about? It's looking abit shabby now that you think about it. The pool was closed and there weren't as many activities for your son as you remember.

 

You might wonder about the Captain's competence when you think back. we ended up in the Bahamas instead of Puerto Rico last Wednesday. Nobody remembers an announced change of course. Last week's fire drill didn't go so well. And the radio room STILL hasn't gotten that message sent for you. The ship's plumber fixed the sink wrong -hot is cold and cold is hot. That one electrial outlet was still sparking everytime you try to use you hairdryer too. The electrician didn't get that fixed. And there are rumors that the third class passengers all got food poisioning from yesterday's dinner....

 

You KNEW something was wrong with that one Officer the way he looked at your 12 year old son.....something made your skin crawl. But the Captain had nothing but praise for him - he was the director of youth activities. But how could they explain the stuff they found in his cabin? Youth activities - beyond belief.....he should have been fired and thrown overboard but they simply paid him in full and put him off the ship in Puerto Rico.

 

Your travel agent SAID this was an OLD cruise line with a STERLING reputation - around forever, just what you were looking for. All the values you hold so dear. They even have services on Sunday and are picky about admitting only select passengers. Sure they had to loosen up their standards a few years back - "its the law you know" (Used to be they were just cabin boys) but they still attract a really nice group of passengers..... just like you - family oriented, none of those "R-rated" floor shows or off-color comedians....

 

Besides they had a great Marketing campaign and Bobby got a free lunchbox and penknife. Maybe we can use it to fillet the fish we just caught. At least the old First Mate has some real survival skills.

 

 

[SemperParatus]

The thing I dislike the most about cruises is that I always seem to run into the drunk loudmouth that thinks he knows more than the captain and staff about how to run a ship.

[SR540Beaver]

Sorry about your ship, mine seems to be riding high and dry in the water.

[OldGreyEagle]

I give you a White Star on your story.

 

In the past few years I have seen the BSA, at least in my Council, really get in heavy with the Scoutreach Program and Learning for Life. Then there is the Venturing Program introduced to attract older non-scouting youth and as a method to hold onto older scouts and recently there is the Scouting/Soccer program and yet you want to focus on the fact the BSA has no new ideas or ignores reality. Lets see, one program to help the disadvantaged youth of the nation, an all inclusive program and one to provide a program to both boys and girls where they develop their own program and another engineered to a specific demographic that has not embraced scouting.

 

Yet in the last how many years you don't seem to give the BSA credit for doing anything right. Most of us know why merlyn posts here, his reasons are well know. Why are you here?

 

 

 

[EagleInKY]

Yeah, I'm not sure where this guy is cruising to, but I'll stay out of his way. My ride has been pretty thrilling. Of 9 boys who started this troop 2 years ago, eight are still involved in scouts. Of the 15 we had on the roster a year later, 15 are still in scouts. We've lost three to transfers and one newly crossed over scout who never quite got the hang of the program. And just about every troop in this area can tell the same story. I realize that there are some problems in areas, and nation-wide numbers are down. But overall, the program is as strong as ever.

[stlscouter]

I would like to believe that most of us try to be more like the "Little Dutch Boy" or perservere like the "Little Red Hen" and most of try to deal effectively with the ADHD "Chicken Little".

[CA_Scouter]

In my family, we have a saying... if you say something bad about someone, you should say two nice things also.

 

So let's hear it jkhny!

 

< crickets chirping >

 

My opinion is that BSA does a lot more things right than they do wrong. So did the White Star Line.

 

 

 

 

[Prairie_Scouter]

So, are you wondering if we're spending our time re-arranging the deck chairs on the Titanic? (old joke)

 

Most things in Scouting ARE done very well. But, errors are being made in areas that affect the credibility of the whole organization. Nobody cares that we do a bang up job of teaching boys how to tie square knots when they're hearing that some Councils cheat on their membership figures. When you want to be the organization that everyone looks up to, you have to make sure that you are absolutely squeaky clean.

[Bob White]

"BSA is a sinking cruise ship."

 

No, you just know suprisingly little about boats.

 

[Trevorum]

The problem with analogies is that one is always tempted to take them too far so that the original idea is lost.

 

Personally, I've never seen the point in cruises. If God had wanted us to spend days and days crossing the ocean, he wouldn't have given us jet aircraft.

[rkfrance]

I'll agree there are a lot of issues, and WE (the dedicated Scouters) have little or no actual say or influence in much that happens, OK, no influence at National. There may be a little more opportunity, but not much, to have an influence at Council. Whoa, I am directly involved at the District. I might not have a big influence, but I know my voice gets heard. Better yet, I have a big influence at what's happening at the Unit level. I don't get my way all the time, but I don't need to.

 

The ONLY way things are going to get better anywhere in Scouting is going to come from "the grass roots" level, where the voices count. A former UC of mine always used to say, "You're either part of the problem, or part of the solution".

 

jkhny - I can tell by your recent posts you care, but don't feel there's anything you can do to make things right. Get to the grass roots level, and make a difference there. One boy at a time.

[Bob White]

Do not think that WE (the dedicated scouters) have no influence at the national level, that simply is not true. Conservatively several hundred volunteer scouters, if not thousands of us, have an enormous effect on the program and servicses of the BSA. It's just that none of the whiners do.

 

Do you really think the National committees want to populate themselves with a bunch of gripers? How would they get things done at all? Lots of scouters from all over the country form various national committees on activities, program development, uniforming, advancement, training, commissioning, resource development, camp development.

 

But if you don't ask you won't know that, and if you whine you will never experience it. The folks who get selected and recommended for regional and national service are the ones in your council who quietly get the job done, and they don't spend much time with the curmudgeons of the council.

(This message has been edited by Bob White)

[packsaddle]

I'm trying to concentrate on the original post here. As a volunteer completely devoted to the boys in this unit, I see this issue from that microscopic perspective. And if we represent a 'lifeboat' from the cruise liner, we're surviving quite well. The families in this local area are willing to take that view as well, ignoring the nonsense that we all see at higher levels in favor of the good we do for the boys at the local level. They see the program locally and they like it. The ultimate local option decision always is made by the families: join or leave. And the families like what we're doing locally.

In my opinion, this private club will eventually benefit from being subjected to market forces. It may prosper or it may slim down or certain branches may wither and die. So be it. This unit will be just fine either way.

[SeattlePioneer]

Sorry, I don't see Scouting as a sinking ship at all --- certainly not in the way suggested by the opening post.

 

 

The problem seems to be that there are fewer people interested in taking the cruise that Scouting offers. The passengers who are on board often seem to be quite happy with the cruise.

 

It may be that the management will need to modify the kind of cruise that is offered, but that has nothing to do with the ship sinking in some kind of dramtic mechanical failure.

 

 

 

Seattle Pioneer

Wondering if it worthwhile to belabor the image suggested

[Prairie_Scouter]

Packsaddle,

I know people who are approaching Scouting exactly like that, that is, working within the local unit doing the best they can, and ignoring the National office as much as they are able.

 

The effect on us all, tho, is that as the National office goes along on it's way, what it does, does have an effect on us. As they marginalize Scouting, funding is affected, participation is affected, and we all have a stake in that.