Are We Really That Smart?

Andy the net commissioner asks “Are we really that smart?’ … before we start changing things around to suit ourselves, we’d better be asking ourselves, “Have we really come up with a better way of doing things, or have we just violated or depleted something that’s fundamental to why Scouting works in the first place?” In other words, are we really that smart, or have we merely found an easier (for us) way to do things? Are we really being sensitive to the emotional needs of youth, or are we merely being driven by some emotional need (or shortcoming) of our own? Do we really have the Chutzpah to think we can play fast and loose with a program and process that’s worked for a century, in more than a hundred countries, among tens of millions of youth? Andy is right on the mark.

Scouting is not about managerial efficiency measures nor protecting Scouts from challenging situations.

Scouting is designed to challenge boys by presenting them with real responsibility for their own lives, if we alter the design we end up with something other than Scouting.