Ok, let's see why Mr. President believe people should be members. I'll try to extract the arguments as to why that is beneficial for 1. Humanity. 2. Engineering/Technology 3. Me personally.
> IEEE is ... an international community
How is it a community, as opposed to part of a community? Are engineers who aren't IEEE members "not in the community"? It's not like there are secret weekly sessions with masks in the basement which only IEEE members know about.
> that can help students build and sustain successful careers as technical professionals
That's a conclusion you want me to reach. You need to tell us _how_ IEEE helps us do that.
> For more than 40 years, IEEE has been a great place to build my personal brand
Ugh. Why can't you say something like "recognition for having supported the collective and collaborative activity in my field"?
> and to create a valuable professional network. I know it can do the same for the next generation of engineers.
How does IEEE membership help me "create a valuable professional network"? Is the idea that luminaries in their field tend to answer IEEE members and engage with them more than non-IEEE members? Maybe, I don't know, but you haven't actually said that.
> access to more resources—both professional and personal—that can help them advance within their field
1. Like, what resources?
2. If you mean the journals you're preventing the public from accessing, then really, shame on you. Scientific and technological information should be freely accessible by all.
> and discover new interests.
How would membership be useful for me in discovering new interests?
> They will also have the opportunity to build soft skills,
What opportunity?
> raise their visibility,
1. You already said that.
2. Will they really? I don't think I notice people more because they are IEEE members. But, convince me, maybe I'm missing something (or maybe it's true in fields other than my own).
> and make friendships that last a lifetime.
How would IEEE membership make me friends? Not very convincing.
> The organization provides professional contacts
Again, how does it provide contacts other than those non-members have?
> and a community that offers support, advice, and mentoring, independent of where they work.
Does it really? Again, if that's actually true, then maybe it is worth it to be a member. But how does it do so? How community-like is the IEEE membership?
> Within the organization, there are young people ... also... active engineers ... in industry, government, and academia, as well as retired professionals ...
That is also true for the telephone directory. What do these people actually _do_ in the IEEE?
> Through its technical societies, IEEE also has a tremendous reach
Say what they do!
> Whatever your focus is, there is a community within IEEE that will meet your needs.
But what does it do?
> It can lead to meaningful collaborative research opportunities that jump-start and advance one’s career
How?
> and it can provide professional-development pathways that refine skills through leadership opportunities.
How?
> Many of the key benefits of volunteering
This is the first sentence in this whole f'ing spiel which is starting to make sense. Instead of "IEEE will help you", it's an "IEEE is vehicle for helping others, volunteering, promoting the profession / the field etc."
Ok, then why did you waste our time with the verbiage before, instead of telling us what we can do _for_ others via the IEEE, plus what the IEEE does for everyone with the dues we pay it or with our volunteering efforts?
> provide opportunities to help guide the evolution of numerous fields,
Which opportunities, man? Come on!
> Serving as a volunteer can also help empower members to champion their ideas and hone their communication and presentation skills, as well as management experience, which are important for professional development.
> IEEE is ... an international community
How is it a community, as opposed to part of a community? Are engineers who aren't IEEE members "not in the community"? It's not like there are secret weekly sessions with masks in the basement which only IEEE members know about.
> that can help students build and sustain successful careers as technical professionals
That's a conclusion you want me to reach. You need to tell us _how_ IEEE helps us do that.
> For more than 40 years, IEEE has been a great place to build my personal brand
Ugh. Why can't you say something like "recognition for having supported the collective and collaborative activity in my field"?
> and to create a valuable professional network. I know it can do the same for the next generation of engineers.
How does IEEE membership help me "create a valuable professional network"? Is the idea that luminaries in their field tend to answer IEEE members and engage with them more than non-IEEE members? Maybe, I don't know, but you haven't actually said that.
> access to more resources—both professional and personal—that can help them advance within their field
1. Like, what resources?
2. If you mean the journals you're preventing the public from accessing, then really, shame on you. Scientific and technological information should be freely accessible by all.
> and discover new interests.
How would membership be useful for me in discovering new interests?
> They will also have the opportunity to build soft skills,
What opportunity?
> raise their visibility,
1. You already said that.
2. Will they really? I don't think I notice people more because they are IEEE members. But, convince me, maybe I'm missing something (or maybe it's true in fields other than my own).
> and make friendships that last a lifetime.
How would IEEE membership make me friends? Not very convincing.
> The organization provides professional contacts
Again, how does it provide contacts other than those non-members have?
> and a community that offers support, advice, and mentoring, independent of where they work.
Does it really? Again, if that's actually true, then maybe it is worth it to be a member. But how does it do so? How community-like is the IEEE membership?
> Within the organization, there are young people ... also... active engineers ... in industry, government, and academia, as well as retired professionals ...
That is also true for the telephone directory. What do these people actually _do_ in the IEEE?
> Through its technical societies, IEEE also has a tremendous reach
Say what they do!
> Whatever your focus is, there is a community within IEEE that will meet your needs.
But what does it do?
> It can lead to meaningful collaborative research opportunities that jump-start and advance one’s career
How?
> and it can provide professional-development pathways that refine skills through leadership opportunities.
How?
> Many of the key benefits of volunteering
This is the first sentence in this whole f'ing spiel which is starting to make sense. Instead of "IEEE will help you", it's an "IEEE is vehicle for helping others, volunteering, promoting the profession / the field etc."
Ok, then why did you waste our time with the verbiage before, instead of telling us what we can do _for_ others via the IEEE, plus what the IEEE does for everyone with the dues we pay it or with our volunteering efforts?
> provide opportunities to help guide the evolution of numerous fields,
Which opportunities, man? Come on!
> Serving as a volunteer can also help empower members to champion their ideas and hone their communication and presentation skills, as well as management experience, which are important for professional development.
How? Through what mechanisms?
... (sigh) I give up.