# Does anyone actually give a shit about being a "Charter Member?" **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 23, 2008, 10:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-actually-give-a-shit-about-being-a-charter-member/446525 "2008-04-23T10:55:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2008, 10:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-actually-give-a-shit-about-being-a-charter-member/446525/1 "2008-04-23T10:55:47Z")
Honestly, I don’t get the big deal. Why is it such a big deal? I believe you get a discount if you hurry up and renew right away, but other than that, who cares about the title under your name? Anyone with me? ---
**Author:** ![Charter\_Member1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Charter\_Member1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charter_Member1)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2008, 11:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-actually-give-a-shit-about-being-a-charter-member/446525/2 "2008-04-23T11:04:32Z")
I agree 100%. ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2008, 11:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-actually-give-a-shit-about-being-a-charter-member/446525/3 "2008-04-23T11:12:40Z")
I kinda like it. ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2008, 11:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-actually-give-a-shit-about-being-a-charter-member/446525/4 "2008-04-23T11:19:17Z")
Where is this a big deal? Is there a thread I missed? All I can find is [this](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=9717853&postcount=26), which doesn’t mention anything about “Charter Member”… ---
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2008, 11:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-actually-give-a-shit-about-being-a-charter-member/446525/5 "2008-04-23T11:19:21Z")
I kinda like it as well. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2008, 11:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-actually-give-a-shit-about-being-a-charter-member/446525/6 "2008-04-23T11:34:14Z")
It’s not a big deal, but the notion of something that isn’t a big deal being arbitrarily taken away, is often a big deal. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2008, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-actually-give-a-shit-about-being-a-charter-member/446525/7 "2008-04-23T11:47:00Z")
I’d like to have it back, but I’m not going to cry about the fact I lost it because I got ill. Shit happens and a title means nothing if you don’t stick to the rules that dispense the title. The date of joining is a good indication of the fact you have been around forever. Luckily Dopers don’t have an expiry date for when they have to go. Be grateful for that. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Charter\_Member1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Charter\_Member1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charter_Member1)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2008, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-actually-give-a-shit-about-being-a-charter-member/446525/8 "2008-04-23T11:51:28Z")
[QUOTE=Mangetout] It’s not a big deal, but the notion of something that isn’t a big deal being arbitrarily taken away, is often a big deal. [/QUOTE] Funny isnt it? I suggest all you that don’t care have your titles changed to simply “Member” to show how much you don’t care and highlight how small of a deal it is. Or maybe not?.. ---
**Author:** ![kittenblue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ba8739/32.png) [@kittenblue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kittenblue)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2008, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-actually-give-a-shit-about-being-a-charter-member/446525/9 "2008-04-23T12:24:15Z")
I kind of like it. Not that I look for it, or are influenced by it…but it’s nice to see who has been a supporter of this board for a good long time. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2008, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-actually-give-a-shit-about-being-a-charter-member/446525/10 "2008-04-23T12:54:04Z")
I like it. I don’t have my entire identity – or even my entire Doper identity – tied up in it, but I like it. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2008, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-actually-give-a-shit-about-being-a-charter-member/446525/11 "2008-04-23T12:55:14Z")
Wait…you mean y’all aren’t…_respecting_ me? Just a little? BTW, **Charter Member** , I think your name’s a riot. ---
**Author:** ![racer72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/racer72/32/3075_2.png) [@racer72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racer72)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2008, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-actually-give-a-shit-about-being-a-charter-member/446525/12 "2008-04-23T12:57:50Z")
I just renewed for another year to keep mine. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2008, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-actually-give-a-shit-about-being-a-charter-member/446525/13 "2008-04-23T13:05:21Z")
[QUOTE=twickster] I like it. I don’t have my entire identity – or even my entire Doper identity – tied up in it, but I like it. [/QUOTE] I get this. ---
**Author:** ![Jayn\_Newell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Jayn\_Newell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jayn_Newell)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2008, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-actually-give-a-shit-about-being-a-charter-member/446525/14 "2008-04-23T13:12:38Z")
[Georgia Lass]Hey, I give a shit. Maybe not two…[/GL] ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2008, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-actually-give-a-shit-about-being-a-charter-member/446525/15 "2008-04-23T13:42:12Z")
Gee, **Guin** , I’d figure you of all people would remember the dark days when it looked like this board was about to be shut down and TPTB were begging us to pay to post. And a huge number of long-time members said “screw it, it’s just a message board. I’m not paying for that.” and left. But a rag-tage group of true believers, hangers-on, eccentrics and people who needed to get a life actually forked over some cash. As a result, the board lived on. Now, my ID marks me as a member of the “Class of '99” which is all the status I really need. But I think it’s appropriate that those of us who kept this enterprise going be acknowledged in some tiny little way. I mean, other than the hookers and blow, of course. ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2008, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-actually-give-a-shit-about-being-a-charter-member/446525/16 "2008-04-23T13:50:10Z")
[QUOTE=Charter Member] Funny isnt it? I suggest all you that don’t care have your titles changed to simply “Member” to show how much you don’t care and highlight how small of a deal it is. Or maybe not?.. [/QUOTE] Well, that’s easy to do: you just have to be late renewing your membership. However, you then not only lose that title, but you lose your 50% discount. I’d be happy to lose the title, but I’m a real cheapskate where money is involved 😃 ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2008, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-actually-give-a-shit-about-being-a-charter-member/446525/17 "2008-04-23T13:53:49Z")
[QUOTE=Dung Beetle] Wait…you mean y’all aren’t…_respecting_ me? Just a little? [/QUOTE] Just a little. ---
**Author:** ![TroubleAgain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e480ec/32.png) [@TroubleAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroubleAgain)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2008, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-actually-give-a-shit-about-being-a-charter-member/446525/18 "2008-04-23T14:00:56Z")
I lost mine. ::shrug:: No big deal. I still have my join date and post count to show how long I’ve been here if anyone gives a crap. ---
**Author:** ![Cluricaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Cluricaun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cluricaun)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2008, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-actually-give-a-shit-about-being-a-charter-member/446525/19 "2008-04-23T14:01:49Z")
When you don’t have much even the smallest things take on great import, like prison gangs and charter memberships. We earned these titles and while it’s not a dealbreaker for me one way or another, it’s a small distinction and I like it. We did our part and should get something to show for it. It’s like a distinguished service medal or something. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![jacquilynne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/67e7ee/32.png) [@jacquilynne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jacquilynne)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2008, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-actually-give-a-shit-about-being-a-charter-member/446525/20 "2008-04-23T14:09:27Z")
Do I care? Fundamentally? Deep down in my core? No. But it’s an outward display of longevity and continuity of participation in this community that people might not be aware of based on my relatively low post count. So, I’d consider it a ‘nice to have’. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-actually-give-a-shit-about-being-a-charter-member/446525.md?page=2)