Traditions vs Groups and the "IDGAF Tradition"

Sometimes I browse idly in the Pagan tags on Tumblr despite no longer being a participant in the community. Occasionally I come across some good things, and other times I come across things that I thought were good but ended up being mediocre. More often than not, though, I come across material that makes me remember why I even left.

One example of one of those things I found that initially looked interesting but- upon further investigation- ended up not being awesome is the "IDGAF Tradition".

At first glance, IDGAF seems pretty cool and is something I can get behind. It's a group who essentially got fed up with crazy stipulations concerning practice in group settings, exorbitant teacher's fees, and more... So they banded together like heroes to create a tradition that didn't care what your religion or practice was (basically) so long as you were dedicated to continued study and learning (and are, apparently, ok with a pretty heavy Neo-Wiccan influence and a reading list that hardly constitutes appropriate source material).

Upon reading their page more in depth and listening to podcasts where the founder speaks, however... I've come to have a lot of serious problems with IDGAF. I have several points of contentment with IDGAF, but no words to properly articulate the number of things I find wrong with the group. So for now, I want to talk about the only one that really matters to me at the current moment: The glaringly obvious disconnect between what constitutes an actual "tradition" and what is simply nothing more than a semi-exclusive group or organization.

With the circulation of current materials, I feel that it's become common for people to have this disconnect. Current materials and information promote beliefs that all information should be free, that there should be no limitations, and that you can do whatever you want. Hands down, this isn't true in any sense, and Traditions are areas in which it is most certainly never going to be true. There is a lack of both understanding and respect concerning closed practices- including Mystery, Initiatory, and Mystery Initiatory Traditions... Problems which... Well... Result in things like IDGAF.

Tradition is defined as (1) the transmission of customs or beliefs from generation to generation; a long-established custom or belief that has been passed on in this way. (2) an (usually artistic or literary) method or style established by an artist, writer, or movement, and subsequently followed by others.

Within Paganism and other religious systems, Traditions are groups dedicated to a singular practice or belief. What makes them Traditions is a cohesive, clear cut spiritual or other belief, and established rituals, practices, and even Holidays. Traditions don't always have to be closed. Some are relatively open and it doesn't affect whether or not it is a legitimate and established Tradition. In the case of Initiatory Traditions, though, (because that is what IDGAF is pretending to be) often the case is that this information is kept behind a wall and shared only within a tight, vetted group of people- usually with heavy stipulations placed on how much (if any) information may be shared with those who aren't initiated.. That means that anyone wanting to become a member must undergo a specified vetting and trial process before being allowed to access this information, and information concerning the Tradition and it's beliefs and rituals are only passed down to members of their group which have been initiated (or are otherwise undergoing / participating in that group's initiation process).

When being initiated into or otherwise attempting to gain access to such a Tradition, you are asking for access to their information. You are asking- specifically- for access to their practices; to be taught their specific beliefs and rituals, or their "traditions" that they uphold- which is why these Traditions are often picky about who joins and place stipulations on faith or belief... Because that is what you are being given access to through the study and initiation, and you are being given access to it under the assumption and with a reasonable obligation of adopting those practices and traditions once given that access.

While they all constitute as semi or even completely exclusive groups that one must gain access to through specific channels, they're not the same as- say- IDGAF. In the case of IDGAF none of this appears to even remotely be true at all.

The founder and the web page both start out with talk about how there is too much emphasis placed in "other Traditions" concerning what others do and believe, that initiation processes are either too stringent or aren't stringent enough, and other problems the founder has... And while there is a rather strenuous and intensive initiation process lasting 6 months, what is the initiation actually for? What purpose does IDGAF's initiation process actually, legitimately hold?

None. There is absolutely no substance behind IDGAF's initiation process. There are no practices and beliefs that you're being initiated into. There is no religious or other belief held by the group which is safeguarded from outside tampering. There is nothing that you legitimately need to be initiated into, and no secrets to gain in doing so.

You're doing nothing more than joining an empty group with absolutely nothing to offer except a questionable title and affiliation with their group- a group that is comprised of people who have nothing more in common with you than the fact that they also supposedly uphold the same values concerning continued spiritual and related education. This is not a Tradition- it is a group or organization and nothing more. There is absolutely no comparison to a legitimate Tradition in any sense of the word.

In fact, they've absolutely misunderstood and completely missed the point of Initiatory Traditions altogether- regardless of whether the tradition is also a closed or other Mystery Tradition.