I expected better facilities, on point ritual, deep conversations, respectfully dressed, little to no banter, a meal not from a chain pizza place on paper plates, etc. The ingredients were there ritually, but it didn't click much until I had seen it again and after reading on it in literature. I always wonder, what if 50 years ago they weren't so concerned with keeping 4M members but more about quality and had actually raised dues in line with European lodges, kept their buildings nice and either classically old (not 70s engineering old) or up to date and modern what the fraternity in the U.S. would be like. They had a 50/50 choice there and chose the wrong 50. I think we are in the middle of the 'crisis' and small lodges will continue to close left and right. Eventually the 'larger' ones will close when people simply stop paying their dues due to lack of interest.
I would imagine raising them too much now wouldn't help a whole heap since men that haven't been in lodge for 5, 10, 20 or 30 years (and they make up about 80% of lodge 'membership) would be angry about paying $300 a year with the expectation that lodge would still fail to deliver like it always has. Then, they'd simply stop paying and the lodge would be paying the tab. I think scrapping most lodges and just completely starting over is the best answer in many cases. Consolidating, which is unpopular I've seen on here before, but it'd allow for better growth as a lodge and a better experience keeping members engaged, not just paying dues so they get a Masonic funeral like that is going to matter to them once they are deceased. These lodges that have 150 members and 8-12 (4 of which actually pull the load as we discussed recently) show up regularly is absolutely ridiculous and really pointless. It becomes a burden on those active members killing their outlook on Masonry themselves.
I think Masonry, hopefully, will settle in between 100K-250K members in the U.S. Members that want to be there and are active in lodge, ritually, educationally, community and socially among each other. This means a lot of lodges will close but the ones left standing will be as strong as ever with Masons that want to be there.