# What if I don't want to be a "Charter Member" **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [March 23, 2004, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-i-dont-want-to-be-a-charter-member/235798 "2004-03-23T00:24:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![vl\_mungo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/bc8723/32.png) [@vl\_mungo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vl_mungo)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2004, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-i-dont-want-to-be-a-charter-member/235798/1 "2004-03-23T00:24:13Z")
Don’t get me wrong… I think the SDMB is great, and I intend to subscribe. But, is it just me, or does the term “Charter Member” rankle anyone else. It has kind of a “I’ll be having some gin and tonics with Chip and Missy and the Smith-Smythe-Smith’s down at the Country Club… we’re _Charter Members_, don’t you know?”, ring to it. Will we be able to change our designation to something less noxious? ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2004, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-i-dont-want-to-be-a-charter-member/235798/2 "2004-03-23T00:34:34Z")
Actually, I almost started this same thread. “Charter Member” _is_ rather port-and-cigars. Is there any reason why it can’t just be “Member”,? The “Guest” title for unpaid folk would make it clear enough who has paid and who hasn’t. ---
**Author:** ![leander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/bcef8e/32.png) [@leander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leander)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2004, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-i-dont-want-to-be-a-charter-member/235798/3 "2004-03-23T00:46:24Z")
I couldn’t agree more. It’s idiotic and will only further the perception of elitism and cliquishness here. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2004, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-i-dont-want-to-be-a-charter-member/235798/4 "2004-03-23T00:53:02Z")
Quite frankly, old chaps, I think this is just _smashing_. I must say, though, _rather_ difficult to type with a good port in one hand and one’s cigar in the other. ---
**Author:** ![furt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/439d5e/32.png) [@furt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furt)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2004, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-i-dont-want-to-be-a-charter-member/235798/5 "2004-03-23T01:53:45Z")
> [@Really Not All That Bright](#): > > Quite frankly, old chaps, I think this is just _smashing_. I must say, though, _rather_ difficult to type with a good port in one hand and one’s cigar in the other. _Really_, Brighty, I wish you’d put that horrid thing away and let Mrs. Bailey air out the parlor. The Mungfords shall be here at seven, and you know Clarissa has such a frightfully keen sense of smell. ---
**Author:** ![Silver\_Fire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@Silver\_Fire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Fire)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2004, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-i-dont-want-to-be-a-charter-member/235798/6 "2004-03-23T02:01:14Z")
First of all, that “subscribe before your time runs out!” screen is **annoying**!! I can’t wait until That Guy gets back with his debit card (I hope it works…). And I suggested in the original thread that we get to make up our own titles. I’m not sure if it was addressed yet or not, but I don’t really feel like wading through 10 pages to find out right now. Maybe I’ll email someone. But, yeah, “Charter Member” is snooty. ---
**Author:** ![evilbeth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/evilbeth/32/2268_2.png) [@evilbeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/evilbeth)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2004, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-i-dont-want-to-be-a-charter-member/235798/7 "2004-03-23T02:35:39Z")
> [@Silver Fire](#): > > But, yeah, “Charter Member” is snooty. But we _are_ snooty. And cliquish. How else will everyone know who the “cool” people are? 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Silver\_Fire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@Silver\_Fire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Fire)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2004, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-i-dont-want-to-be-a-charter-member/235798/8 "2004-03-23T02:46:16Z")
:looks at her own title: ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Silver\_Fire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@Silver\_Fire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Fire)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2004, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-i-dont-want-to-be-a-charter-member/235798/9 "2004-03-23T03:29:54Z")
> [@Silver Fire](#): > > :looks at her own title: > > ☹ Nevermind! I think… ---
**Author:** ![Cazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cazzle/32/75_2.png) [@Cazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cazzle)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2004, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-i-dont-want-to-be-a-charter-member/235798/10 "2004-03-23T03:33:47Z")
Or perhaps just “Subscriber”? ---
**Author:** ![kniz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c37758/32.png) [@kniz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kniz)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2004, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-i-dont-want-to-be-a-charter-member/235798/11 "2004-03-23T03:51:39Z")
There’s another thread where everyone is complaining that they didn’t get the “Charter Member” listing. Just goes to show you can’t please all the people all the time or something like that. Anyway, I hate the “Charter Member” designation and if you try and change it…I’ll kill you! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2004, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-i-dont-want-to-be-a-charter-member/235798/12 "2004-03-23T04:12:05Z")
> [@furt](#): > > _Really_, Brighty, I wish you’d put that horrid thing away and let Mrs. Bailey air out the parlor. The Mungfords shall be here at seven, and you know Clarissa has such a frightfully keen sense of smell. It will do the old bint some good to get something other than George’s pubic hair in her nose… she is such a _frightful_ bore. I need some Taco Bell. ---
**Author:** ![Briny\_Deep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/briny_deep/32/17188_2.png) [@Briny\_Deep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Briny_Deep)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2004, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-i-dont-want-to-be-a-charter-member/235798/13 "2004-03-23T05:28:48Z")
I agree with the general thrust of this thread. Those of us with honor could have deliberately waited until after the 30-day grace period to subscribe, eschewing the “Charter Member” status forever. I deserve the title of “Deadbeat,” though, as I just now subscribed via Paypal before I discovered my balance was zero. I made an immediate transfer, but still. How embarrassing. ---
**Author:** ![Mesquite-oh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a183cd/32.png) [@Mesquite-oh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mesquite-oh)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2004, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-i-dont-want-to-be-a-charter-member/235798/14 "2004-03-23T05:58:49Z")
Will being a Charter Member finally allow me to get a Sam’s Club membership? ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2004, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-i-dont-want-to-be-a-charter-member/235798/15 "2004-03-23T06:04:02Z")
> [@Silver Fire](#): > > First of all, that “subscribe before your time runs out!” screen is **annoying**!! > > I can’t wait until That Guy gets back with his debit card (I hope it works…). > > And I suggested in the original thread that we get to make up our own titles. I’m not sure if it was addressed yet or not, but I don’t really feel like wading through 10 pages to find out right now. Maybe I’ll email someone. > > But, yeah, “Charter Member” is snooty. If we go to a premium subscription plan (premium members pay a higher fee, but get more privileges) that’s one of the benefits that’s been talked about. HOWEVER, the moderating staff would still have final say as to the appropriateness of user-selected titles. ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2004, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-i-dont-want-to-be-a-charter-member/235798/16 "2004-03-23T06:06:29Z")
> [@kniz](#): > > There’s another thread where everyone is complaining that they didn’t get the “Charter Member” listing. I think those people are concerned that their subscriptions weren’t processed properly. ---
**Author:** ![GawnFishin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e9bcb4/32.png) [@GawnFishin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GawnFishin)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2004, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-i-dont-want-to-be-a-charter-member/235798/17 "2004-03-23T06:17:30Z")
I say instead of “Charter Member” we use “Crusty Old Doper” instead. ---
**Author:** ![caphis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e19adc/32.png) [@caphis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/caphis)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2004, 7:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-i-dont-want-to-be-a-charter-member/235798/18 "2004-03-23T07:00:50Z")
I thought the “Charter Member” was for _charter_ members, that is, those who sign up before the April deadline and thus be eligible for the future 50% discount. After that, I thought I had read that future titles would be “Member”. Perhaps I was wrong? ---
**Author:** ![Doomtrain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/0ea827/32.png) [@Doomtrain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doomtrain)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2004, 7:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-i-dont-want-to-be-a-charter-member/235798/19 "2004-03-23T07:06:38Z")
> [@Really Not All That Bright](#): > > Quite frankly, old chaps, I think this is just _smashing_. I must say, though, _rather_ difficult to type with a good port in one hand and one’s cigar in the other. You type by yourself? Really, what a terribly medieval idea! I let the butler do it. He’s typing right now. Say hello, Wadsworth. Hello. ---
**Author:** ![Doomtrain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/0ea827/32.png) [@Doomtrain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doomtrain)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2004, 7:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-i-dont-want-to-be-a-charter-member/235798/20 "2004-03-23T07:08:08Z")
Oh, and I love “Charter Member,” port, and cigars! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-if-i-dont-want-to-be-a-charter-member/235798.md?page=2)