There seems to be a general dislike of fraternities

[bigorexia]

And I think it stems from their being a lack of knowledge of what being a member actually means. So in that spirit I would like to ask you all to bring me your questions regarding fraternities. I hope that through answering your questions I might bring a little understanding to both sides and maybe just maybe show you the face behind those polo shirts.

 

[Hazy]

Not all frats are bad. If you can find a respectable Frat, you can have a great time.

 

[Seldon2639]

While I must appreciate the effort you're making in attempting to humanize and defend fraternities and their members, your assumption that the animosity stems from a lack of knowledge or understanding of the workings of fraternities is, I assure you, mistaken. However, I'll play along:

Why is it that with all of the supposed focus on brotherhood and community, many (if not most) of the fraternities I've encountered in my university days been hotbeds of debauchery, illicit and illegal activity, and general douchebaggery? I don't mean this in a shallow "they pop their collars" kind of way, but in a much more specific "coming back to the dorms at two in the morning drunk of their asses and shouting loudly their desire for an icy-hot patch" kind of way.

If fraternities are supposed to be good organizations, promoting proper behavior, good works, responsibility, and all that good stuff, why are they consistently complicit in both underage drinking and alcohol abuse (even ignoring other drug use)?

Why is it that the vast majority of stories about a death by binge drinking, or about sexual assault/harassment, or about stupid pranks that do nothing but cause other people grief, involve frat boys? Why is it that I only ever hear stories about frat guys taking advantage of drunk girls in both violation of the law and of any kind of ethics?

Why is it that in class the frat boys tend to be the least engaged, least well-read, least thoughtful, and least quiet? Why is it that they can't seem to keep their ignorance and apathy to themselves?

Why is it that most of the traditions of fraternities either involve drinking or misogyny, if not both simultaneously?

Aside from the mainstay arguments of "it's about community and brotherhood", "we try to encourage responsible behavior", "it's traditional", and "you just don't understand/couldn't get into one, so you're jealous", can you provide one single substantive reason to allow them to continue to exist? They don't do anything to help the community (except the occasional fundraiser, usually some sort of drinking party, which could be done just as easily through other humanitarian and civic organizations without the costs of allowing frats to exist).

Oh, finally, would you please let us know:

1. Did you drink underage, or seen others in your frat (or within the premises)??
2. Have you ever done illicit substances in any context, or seen others on your frat's premises?
3. Have you ever hooked up with an intoxicated girl?
4. Do you, or any member of your frat get drunk and miss class?
5. Does your drinking and partying ever interfere with the lives of others who don't engage in such behavior?

If the answer to any of those is "yes", I think you'll have your answers about why people on this site (myself especially) dislike frats and frat boys. If the answer to all of them is "no", then either you have the single, solitary, good fraternity (I doubt it exists), or you're lying through your teeth

 

[bigorexia]

I don't know how to break up a quote Seldon, so I'll answer questions in the order they show up by paragraph. Sorry in advance.

College for many is a social experiment in which they test the bounds of new found freedoms away from structure and rules. College culture, is a testament to that fact. With parties and experimentation the norm. That is no excuse of course, but the point is that its not only brothers who are being loud and drunk in the halls at four in the morning. In fact, if I was to party I'd much rather drink at a chapter house over some apartment. We take care of our own and their guests, most of the time no one leaves alone and that goes along way to cutting down those types of problems.

I can't really say much about underage drinking without turning this into a drinking age debate. It happens but its not seen as a bad thing on campus. I also can't speak on the policies for other fraternities but mine has rules on drinking and addiction. If there is suspicion of alcoholism (when it begins to affect a brothers behavior negatively) they are banned from drinking, a mixed bag here, and we get that person help. You wouldn't think it, but a fraternity can really come together like any family would.

All-in-all, people party because its fun. Kicking fraternities off campus won't stop that fact. When it comes to sexual harassment and sleeping with a girl who has had a bit to much, I can't speak for everyone. I believe heavily in choice and when a girl is passed out she can't make that decision. If it happened in our house police would be called. It would not be swept under the rug. The brothers who I am closet to think the same way. We do have ethics.

Greek men and women have higher GPA's on average at my university then those not in a chapter. In my fraternity we have mandatory study sessions and a GPA requirement on top of that. You just generalized an entire group of people and you talk about ignorance? There are extremes in every group, and extremes tend to give the worst view on how any group act.

It happens but, fraternities (along with any university sponsored social organization) aren't supposed to haze, with very serious punishments coming down from the university if any cases come forward. My pledge ship was not always fun, but you really do come out the other side knowing your fellow pledges incredibly well.

Why go Greek? Some of the reasons you said not to list are some of the reasons why a young man/women would join. There is actual value in Greek life, my fraternity prides itself on leadership, with various leadership courses and oppurtunities to lead fundraisers. Fundraisers might seem a joke to you but we take them very seriously, infact we just raised a little over 3 grand for a womens shelter. When your primary donators are broke college students thats something to be proud of. We also do other community volunteer work, like homeless shelter work. I'm not trying to say we our Gods gift to philanthropy but we also do way more then your average college student.

Ignoring the betterment of the community there is also the most obvious reason: brotherhood. It might seem silly, but you really do have to experience it to understand it. Going camping/fishing/hunting with your brothers on the weekend or to the beach on spring break or just having a group of people that will show up if you are in a car accident or just there for you when you need it is something that alot of people don't have.

1. Yes, and I have seen it. At the same time, I've never been drunk before.
2. Yes, but the guy who had brought them was shortly kicked out after that.
3. No, and I have never seen any brothers doing it. I have escorted a few women home though.
4. No, I never have. I'm sure a brother has at some point though. At the same time, a brother must keep the GPA requirement to stay in the fraternity.
5. No, not that has ever been to brought to my attention.

 

[Skutch]

I know from experience that there are exceptional, truly beneficial Fraternities out there. But the sad fact is that those organizations are vastly overshadowed in the public consciousness by other groups that are destructive and irresponsible. They draw much more attention to themselves as a result of the actions of their members.
I may be wrong, but I'd bet that even on your own campus there are good frats and bad ones.

 

[Nmil-ek]

Being from the UK my only exposure to "frats" would be from hollywood movies, what I have read/seen online and forums, and that impression has embeded the word fuckwit's any time I have heard about them then again no real experiance so cant say.

W
Oh, finally, would you please let us know:

1. Did you drink underage, or seen others in your frat (or within the premises)??
2. Have you ever done illicit substances in any context, or seen others on your frat's premises?
3. Have you ever hooked up with an intoxicated girl?
4. Do you, or any member of your frat get drunk and miss class?
5. Does your drinking and partying ever interfere with the lives of others who don't engage in such behavior?

If the answer to any of those is "yes", I think you'll have your answers about why people on this site (myself especially) dislike frats and frat boys. If the answer to all of them is "no", then either you have the single, solitary, good fraternity (I doubt it exists), or you're lying through your teeth

Seriously? Appart from 4 and 5 thats really, really tame stuff if that passes as arseholes in college there, they have been through some far weaker shit than I have seen >_>

 

[EMFCRACKSHOT]

We don't have fraternities in the UK so my experience with them is limited to watching animal house. If thats what its really like, i feel sorry for all who are in them

 

[bigorexia]

We don't have fraternities in the UK so my experience with them is limited to watching animal house. If thats what its really like, i feel sorry for all who are in them

There are similarities but some of the things they do in the movies would get a chapter kicked of campus and brothers arrested.

We do have a number of Animal House posters in our chapter house though.

 

[HonorableChairman]

1. Did you drink underage, or seen others in your frat (or within the premises)??
2. Have you ever done illicit substances in any context, or seen others on your frat's premises?
3. Have you ever hooked up with an intoxicated girl?
4. Do you, or any member of your frat get drunk and miss class?
5. Does your drinking and partying ever interfere with the lives of others who don't engage in such behavior?

1. You'd be hard-pressed to find someone who hasn't, frat or no.
2. Nope.
3. Personally? No.
4. Possible, but you hardly have to be in a frat to do that.
5. In the form of loud music, maybe sometimes. Otherwise, no.

 

[Troublesome Lagomorph]

Spoiler: quote

While I must appreciate the effort you're making in attempting to humanize and defend fraternities and their members, your assumption that the animosity stems from a lack of knowledge or understanding of the workings of fraternities is, I assure you, mistaken. However, I'll play along:

Why is it that with all of the supposed focus on brotherhood and community, many (if not most) of the fraternities I've encountered in my university days been hotbeds of debauchery, illicit and illegal activity, and general douchebaggery? I don't mean this in a shallow "they pop their collars" kind of way, but in a much more specific "coming back to the dorms at two in the morning drunk of their asses and shouting loudly their desire for an icy-hot patch" kind of way.

If fraternities are supposed to be good organizations, promoting proper behavior, good works, responsibility, and all that good stuff, why are they consistently complicit in both underage drinking and alcohol abuse (even ignoring other drug use)?

Why is it that the vast majority of stories about a death by binge drinking, or about sexual assault/harassment, or about stupid pranks that do nothing but cause other people grief, involve frat boys? Why is it that I only ever hear stories about frat guys taking advantage of drunk girls in both violation of the law and of any kind of ethics?

Why is it that in class the frat boys tend to be the least engaged, least well-read, least thoughtful, and least quiet? Why is it that they can't seem to keep their ignorance and apathy to themselves?

Why is it that most of the traditions of fraternities either involve drinking or misogyny, if not both simultaneously?

Aside from the mainstay arguments of "it's about community and brotherhood", "we try to encourage responsible behavior", "it's traditional", and "you just don't understand/couldn't get into one, so you're jealous", can you provide one single substantive reason to allow them to continue to exist? They don't do anything to help the community (except the occasional fundraiser, usually some sort of drinking party, which could be done just as easily through other humanitarian and civic organizations without the costs of allowing frats to exist).

Oh, finally, would you please let us know:

1. Did you drink underage, or seen others in your frat (or within the premises)??
2. Have you ever done illicit substances in any context, or seen others on your frat's premises?
3. Have you ever hooked up with an intoxicated girl?
4. Do you, or any member of your frat get drunk and miss class?
5. Does your drinking and partying ever interfere with the lives of others who don't engage in such behavior?

If the answer to any of those is "yes", I think you'll have your answers about why people on this site (myself especially) dislike frats and frat boys. If the answer to all of them is "no", then either you have the single, solitary, good fraternity (I doubt it exists), or you're lying through your teeth

That's ever argument I could ever think of.

1. Did you drink underage, or seen others in your frat (or within the premises)??
2. Have you ever done illicit substances in any context, or seen others on your frat's premises?
3. Have you ever hooked up with an intoxicated girl?
4. Do you, or any member of your frat get drunk and miss class?
5. Does your drinking and partying ever interfere with the lives of others who don't engage in such behavior?

1. You'd be hard-pressed to find someone who hasn't, frat or no.
2. Nope.
3. Personally? No.
4. Possible, but you hardly have to be in a frat to do that.
5. In the form of loud music, maybe sometimes. Otherwise, no.

For #1, then you can count me out of that.

 

[bigorexia]

This really hasn't been as bad as I expected. This is definitely a more mature forum then most.

 

[Zamn]

I can't say it bothers me much that there are no frats in Ireland.

1. Did you drink underage, or seen others in your frat (or within the premises)??
2. Have you ever done illicit substances in any context, or seen others on your frat's premises?
3. Have you ever hooked up with an intoxicated girl?
4. Do you, or any member of your frat get drunk and miss class?
5. Does your drinking and partying ever interfere with the lives of others who don't engage in such behavior?

We're capable of doing all that without an organisation to promote it over here.

 

[The Jackyl]

I have yet to meet a Frat guy that wasn't a total meathead douchebag. By all means, prove me wrong.

 

[Gene O]

Is there anything I could get through a fraternity that I couldn't get through other channels that don't require rushing, hazing, or fees.

 

[bigorexia]

Is there anything I could get through a fraternity that I couldn't get through other channels that don't require rushing, hazing, or fees.

Check the last few paragraphs of my second post.

 

[WrongSprite]

What the bloody hell is a fraternity?

 

[Radeonx]

What the bloody hell is a fraternity?

Its a "club" you join in college. Your normally hang out with them most of the time, and sometimes live with them.

OT: At my school, there aren't really any fraternities, except our dorms act like them. I don't mind frats, as long as they aren't annoying or try to haze you in a douche-like manner.

 

[dalek sec]

I have yet to meet a Frat guy that wasn't a total meathead douchebag. By all means, prove me wrong.

Same here, I generally want to kill any and all frat guys I see.

 

[RouxBelle]

Not every Fraternity does nothing but pick up chicks and play beer pong. Most of my guy friends are in Phi Mu Alpha which is a music fraternity and they actually do a lot for our community in terms of spreading the joy of music and such =).