I really wanted to steer clear of the "Why the streets are dead" topic but fortunately some good points have been made about it. 

It's becoming more and more apparent that the reasons people don't get out here that often any more is because there is just no need but let's be honest here. There was even less need when the street speakers were in abundance than there is now. With rankings and all. 

So what made it so important and what made people want to come out in to the streets and share their thoughts? I really do think it was just something as simple as that was the example set. 

first, jono, i am not old, just like wine matured :P

in response to "What do you think we, as street speakers and members of our community should do to help newer people or hell, even older people come to the streets to express themselves more? Be it with a story to tell or a debate to start. "

I honestly think the more things on the street more different minds will associate with, i won't like as someone who has seen so many debates, i find stories and role play something easier to associate with these days.   I do believe however every family should have an established team to help teach the skills of the street, encourage it, and attempt to reward it whether financially or with certain ranks(language barriers taken into consideration).  I believe externally their can be external cross family groups set up to help shape the future, whether is offering them magazines to read so to understand weapons available in present day america like this one or help in similar ways on fashion, laws, economic conditions and laws as someone fresh of the boat doesn't always understand.

I believe the problem is even the much maligned replies to congrats threads are such an easy way to find a way on to the streets and develop a healthy post count with the number of auths and competition entrants recently but even this is ignored by many.

Heh, it's a funny thing bringing this out in to the open. 

Judging by the mails I have received and the randoms stopping me for a chat on IRC avenue it's become clear that one of the main reasons is that newer people are told that the streets don't serve a purpose in our age other than to announce things from leaders like new auths or protection lists. 

As that has now become true in many peoples opinions it is now also a fact. A fact that is worrying. 

So what do we do about it? The few of us that regularly come to the streets out of habit and a need to share, disagree or debate can only do so much. We can keep coming out here and doing what we love to do but more needs to be done and that starts with the leaders and those of power across our nation. The ideas raised so far are good ones but will they work?

i think too much the streets have become a thing of just the privilidges with the local ladies you find here.  I think is a tragedy that people are being guided away when can add so much fun and interest especially between the robotic motions of some.

In my short time in this world I cannot say anyone has told me the streets are simply there for auth announcements or other administrative duties. While I don't doubt that such duties are an absolutely necessary thing on the streets, it is not the main thing it should be about. I do agree however that not enough are encouraged to come out here and speak their minds; indeed, this applies to the newer bloodlines to this world in particular. I fully accept there is a need for a degree of decorum to be maintained, and there is a fine line between heated debate and insult. But in the journals of my ancestors I note they have on more than one occasion witnessed completely unjustified deaths for things said on the streets. Is it any wonder then that some among us are afraid to speak their minds?

I do not count myself among them, however. The acquaintances I and my ancestors have made have actively encouraged speaking on the streets. It is something I will be endeavouring to do.

lronSight turns, finds a trash can lid and whips it at AlabamaWorley's head,

"He's still only alive because of you! I tried hit listing him, shooting him, throwing things at him, and poke him with sharp sticks before he came over here but now the stupid halfling is a full fledged scouse. They need to be drowned as infants... but I'll keep him knowing that it means the three of them can't get together and come up with an idea so dumb and disgusting the world may never recover."

lronSight turns back to Jono,

"I really do hate you so much I consider retiring every day."

"As for your subjects and whatnot, I think I've heard the line 'I encourage others to speak' one too many times today. Maybe all of you do, but with the streets as they are can anyone say they've done a good job encouraging people? What's a good enough effort for encouraging them? I'll be personally requiring speeches that'll be edited by me for getting made... but even that's not enough in my book so I'll probably host family competitions centered around writing and other things. So I guess I'll ask the crowd, what is a decent level of incentive for street speaking? When can someone really say they've done a decent job encouraging others to speak?"

The truth is IronSight, you can give someone all the tools for the job, offer them money, help, rank and other incentives, but the truth is someone has to want to do it and that is the harsh reality my bloodline and I have found more mid to post roman era.  I would probably say in the time of maybe Rorog was the last time my family line even had to have contributed to the streets to earn a rank as a contributing factor to my promo.

To further my point this way, i would point to city hall competitions like Dumb Ways To Die, as for all those who walked by the Posters and Mail Campaign, very few actually took part even though incentives were there

To further my point this way, i would point to city hall competitions like Dumb Ways To Die, as for all those who walked by the Posters and Mail Campaign, very few actually took part even though incentives were there

"There was never an overwhelming number looking to join in on street activity back when it was a bigger thing and people were given the same tools back then too, so something is missing. It isn't the lack of need, in my mind, because (as previously mentioned) there really wasn't a need for street speaking back then... it just happened because people wanted it. The system is broken so all pieces must be looked at and simply blaming the people who aren't out here isn't an answer I can accept. There needs to be a portion of blame laid upon those leading and teaching. Maybe it is the lack of requirement, but I know my ancestor actually ran that policy 2 years ago and it has probably popped up from time to time in different families so I really doubt that has much of an influence."

 i would point to city hall competitions like Dumb Ways To Die

Thanks for that Lizzie, I now have the angelic tones of Zmeika in my head again. That'll keep me warm today!

I must admit i play it at Delfine's sometimes in LA, either on vinyl or phonographic cylinder to try and pull in the customers, but times are hard, and business is slow as the city establishes itself.

Having heard the strong overtones of a scouse accent speaking out, Maria had almost run the length of town to escape it. It was a terrible noise, and brought back flashbacks of the time she had been chased by a one legged female scouse in a wheelchair down a hill. Terrifying stuff. Forcing herself to take a deep breath, she had instead lurked around the corner from the speaker for some time, smoking cigarettes and listening to the responses and comments. What she had heard, despite the accent, had caught her attention. Was something she felt she could speak on, comment on, add something to. When she heard others mention her name, she felt a small smile spread across her face. Finally, she decided it was time to add her voice to the noise. She stubbed out her cigarette on the wall and dropped the end into the gutter, before turning the corner and beginning to speak to the gathered group. 

Jono, it's nice to see your bloodline back on our streets and nice to see you speaking out in this world. I admit that your speech has piqued my interest and made me actually want to reply to you. As has been mentioned by others already, my line has been one of the more active of the newer lines on these streets but we do go through stages and I do have my own things to say along that avenue that I'm sure I'll get around to. 

Anyhow. I'm sure we'd all rather I just get on with what I want to say. So here goes.

 It's no damn mystery as to why there is not a lot of activity in the streets these days. It's a fact that most of the decent street speakers have gone over the years and no knew ones have stepped up to the plate or that they plain just can't be fucking bothered. Why is that do you think?  Are people afraid? 

Well, for a start, there are very few real examples to follow and very few reasons to set out to follow them. Street speaking doesn't seem to make all that much difference in terms of progression in this world, and I don't just mean that in terms of the lack of requirement of street presence to obtain leadership positions, or even positions of trust within a crew. I mean it in terms of the progression we make with the drug dealers in building our reputations with him. Even on that level, it's making very little difference. Obviously an incentive to have street presence to become a leader is out the window because so many leaders lack that presence, but that gap has not been bridged by the Gods when perhaps it could and should have been. 

There's also the issue of speaking on the streets being more damned trouble and effort than it's worth. My line has lost people for speaking out on the streets. My line has obtained a certain reputation because of our speaking out on the streets. My line as a leader was brought up for discussion with the GFC several times because back then they couldn't stand not having their arses kissed and being publicly questioned and held accountable for their actions and decisions. There's a reason why myself and my line just don't really bother anymore. If I want to be a part of this world and move ahead in this world, I've been actively encouraged at times by the reactions of others to my speaking out to just keep my mouth shut. That isn't a fear so much as being sick of fighting back for little to no reason. 

Not only is there a lack of incentive for speakers sometimes, there's actual reasons to not bother. 

Let's just be honest. It's way easier to gamble than come out to the streets and voice your opinion. 

Well, unless you are from the bloodline of Anna. She's a badass when it comes to both the streets and the gambling. Woman took me for all I was worth and then some.