The paradox of most tightly-knit communities is that they have an internal culture.
And that culture often makes it difficult for a new person to join. It’s hard to have insiders if you don’t have outsiders. This is true for guilds of copy editors, fans of anime or branches of science.
The key transition point for any cause or tribe or movement that seeks to grow is to shift from an insular desire to keep things as they are to a willingness–or better, a desire–to water things down by getting bigger.
It’s hard to have it both ways.