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Author Topic: What is the point of a Fraternity? Daniel Alt Expert Film Handler Posts: 111 From: Lakewood, OH, USA Registered: Mar 2004 posted 10-12-2004 09:40 PM                     Wow. I'm sort of surprised at the amount of negative comments on this thread, but I suppose I shouldn't be. Negative perceptions of fraternities have been on the rise since "Animal House." Are there fraternities that do stupid shit? Yes. Lot's of them. Does that mean that the fundamental concept of a fraternity is flawed? In my opinion, no. Have you ever gotten a place with a friend or two? Shared the utility costs, hung out together, helped out around the house? There's one parallel, if you like. The point of joining a fraternity is not to buy friends. It is to meet a group of people you seem to fit well with, and join with them in their community. (I know, that sounds very granola, but it's true) I liked being in a fraternity because I knew I was surrounded by people I liked, and who liked me. I could leave my room at 3 AM and find someone to hang out with. Or 2 PM. I got to live in a MUCH nicer house than anything the university had to offer. It is easier to organize philanthropic events, sports teams, and late night Denny's runs when you are in a fraternity. Steps are always underway to try to improve the negative aspects. The national organizations have been cracking down harder and harder on hazing and alcohol offenders. Many fraternities have moved to totally dry housing. (Including mine) I'm not saying a fraternity is right for everyone, but it shouldn't be discounted out of hand for those who appriciate it. The friends I made in Theta Chi are still many of my closest, and I had a much more positive college experience because of it.  |  IP: Logged Jason Miller Expert Film Handler Posts: 241 From: Little Rock, AR, Registered: Mar 2004 posted 10-13-2004 06:52 PM                    as with most orginizations, everyone always tends to hilite the negative over the positive. My fraternity donated a lot of time into charity organizations (battered women house, haunted houses, etc...). but THAT stuff never makes the paper. A fraternity guycould save someone from a burning building.. but only if he gets his stomach pumped does the fact he is in a fraternity make the paper. Manny isnt lying when he says fraternity guys do stupid shit. but so do REGULAR college guys. but hey... everyone needs someone to blame when shit goes wrong. parents blame video games when their kids shoot each other. projectionists blame the equipment when id was probably their own threading. society blames fraternities when some college kid drinks too much. NO one pours drinks down your throat. maybe there is peer pressure to do it... but you arent held down. but then... it is ALWAYS someone elses fault.  |  IP: Logged Joe Redifer You need a beating today Posts: 12859 From: Denver, Colorado Registered: May 99 posted 10-13-2004 07:20 PM                        I agree that no one pours beer (or whatever) down your throat. That's why I said that I don't feel sorry for the morons who drank themselves to death. Good riddance to them. The world is a better place without people who would even do such a thing. That's what makes me question the intelligence of people who would follow through with such things JUST to be in a fraternity. If I have to demoralize myself or do tremendously idiotic things just to be in a club, then I certainly wouldn't want to be in that club!  |  IP: Logged Will Kutler Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1506 From: Tucson, AZ, USA Registered: Feb 2001 posted 10-13-2004 07:24 PM                     We do not have an "engineering frat" for the ASU-East MET program. Students are encouraged to join the Local Student Chapter of the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (S.M.E.) for a whopping $20.00/yr. Those FT members involved with the manufacturing industry might be aware that SME is probably the largest and most influential international trade organization for Manufacturing and Mechanical Engineers. SME membership has many benefits; including keeping abrest of current industry situations, business contacts, student scholorship programs, library/research resources, etc, etc.  |  IP: Logged Bobby Henderson "Ask me about Trajan." Posts: 10973 From: Lawton, OK, USA Registered: Apr 2001 posted 10-13-2004 07:26 PM                     If I were to run a fraternity (God forbid), the only kind of hazing I would consider doing would be a sort of trick. The pledge might be told to do something disgusting or humiliating. Those who have the guts to say, "screw that, go f**k yourself" automatically get into the club.  |  IP: Logged Steve Guttag We forgot the crackers Gromit!!! Posts: 12814 From: Annapolis, MD Registered: Dec 1999 posted 10-13-2004 08:08 PM                     Most all of the Mechanical Engineers at the University of Maryland seemed to join ASME (American Society of Mechanical Engineers...kinda like the IEEE but for Mechanical). The other popular orginization for MEs was the SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers). However, I would classify none of the above as a Frat or even a "greek". Now Tau Beta Pi and Eta Kappa Nu (don't know what the ME Honor society was since it wasn't in my area) do have a social aspect to them in addition to just being a member. Steve  |  IP: Logged Joe Redifer You need a beating today Posts: 12859 From: Denver, Colorado Registered: May 99 posted 10-13-2004 09:33 PM                        So what does "Greek" have to do with anything? What difference in the world does THAT make? Why not Spanish? Why not Japanese? Better yet why not "American"?  |  IP: Logged Jason Miller Expert Film Handler Posts: 241 From: Little Rock, AR, Registered: Mar 2004 posted 10-13-2004 10:30 PM                    a lot of the point of doing the pledge events was just to show that you really desired to part of the house. Guys do things to impress girls that they may not normally do... go skiing, sing karaoke, learn to tango, eat a bug (ok.. some are weirder than others). once again.. Im not defending EVERY fraternity. I KNOW there are idiots out there. I'm simply saying that stereotyping ALL fraternities are death traps and brothers are drunk raping imbeciles isnt exactly fair. there are exceptions everywhere. I dont think all gay people act like the guy on will and grace. I dont think all black people are gang members. I dont think all christians are T.V. evangelists. but you notice they get the most airtime. people only seem to pay attention to a fraction of a group and base decisions and opinions on it.  |  IP: Logged Paul Mayer Oh get out of it Melvin, before it pulls you under! Posts: 3836 From: Albuquerque, NM Registered: Feb 2000 posted 10-14-2004 01:05 AM                        "Greek" is just a shorthand for the academic fraternity "system" such as it is. The custom of naming them with Greek letters probably stems from the days when one of the marks of a learned man was mastery of areas of knowledge that required knowing the Greek alphabet, as well as the ability to use the Latin language. Classical learning, as opposed to today's more pragmatic vocational-prep college experience.  |  IP: Logged Michael Schaffer "Where is the Boardwalk Hotel?" Posts: 4143 From: Boston, MA Registered: Apr 2002 posted 10-14-2004 02:53 AM                        Could it also somehow come from the Freemasons? I am just guessing. As far as I know, secret or exclusive societies of all sorts really came into full swing in the late 18th and early 19th centuries when societies like the Freemasons and student fraternities were places were people could freely discuss modern ideas such as democracy. I know that in Germany in the 19th century, the fraternities were a safe haven for liberals and democrats when they were persecuted by the monarchists after the restoration of monarchies everywhere following the congress in Vienna (1815). But later the fraternities degenerated to traditionalist drinking clubs and a system to streamline and integrate young men into established circles. They used to do a lot of dangerous stuff like fighting completely unprotected with swords and cutting each other in the cheek to create a scar as sign of their fraternity membership. That has become very rare, although I hear some idiots still do that.  |  IP: Logged Leo Enticknap Film God Posts: 7474 From: Loma Linda, CA Registered: Jul 2000 posted 10-14-2004 03:05 AM                        Wandering off topic (sorry) and on the subject of freemasons, there was one incident which was probably the highlight of my undergrad degree. The local freemasons had hired a posh hall (normally used for degree ceremonies and so on) for their big annual dinner. It's widely known that freemasonry is endemic in the police force here (in order to rise through the ranks you have to join, basically). So, while this big formal dinner was in full flow, a person or persons unknown dialled 999, pretended to be the IRA and said that they'd planted a bomb in the place. For the next hour we were treated to the spectacle of 200 senior police officers, all in their silly freemasons' costumes, standing outside the college in the sheeting rain while the bomb squad searched the place! The call was eventually traced to a 'phone box on a housing estate just next to the campus, but they never did find the perpetrator(s).  |  IP: Logged Daniel Alt Expert Film Handler Posts: 111 From: Lakewood, OH, USA Registered: Mar 2004 posted 10-14-2004 10:01 AM                     Our pilot friend nailed it: the origin of Greek letters was from a time when one mark of an education was that one had a basic command of written greek. In most cases they stand for something, sometimes secret, sometimes not. ("Theta Chi" are the first two letters of "Helping Hand" in Greek) On the subject of hazing; Joe, I couldn't agree more. My chapter of my fraternity does not haze. I wouldn't have joined if they did, and I certainly wouldn't have allowed it while I was a member. I think the modern system as a whole is moving away from the perception, and it will just a take a bit longer for the perception to change.  |  IP: Logged Dean Kollet Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 591 From: Florida State University Registered: Jul 2003 posted 10-14-2004 11:45 AM                     Ours does not haze either, in fact here at FSU it's quite a big deal. It goes on, everyone knows, but if you just as get caught...bye bye to your fraternity. The campus police are in on it too, whenever we have events involving pledges, we frequently have them checking up on things.  |  IP: Logged

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