Quote:
Originally Posted by Wolfman
The raison d'etre of our organizations is brotherhood/sisterhood with a purpose. If you don't have the institutional means facilitiate the building of a certain amount of esprit de corps, your group will degenerate into a social club, which actually suits more young people today who seem to be more narcissistic. As anthropologists tell us and rites-of-passge rituals worldwide show us, these type of initiatory programs are about status transformation,drawing someone out of their previous way of being to broaden them to serve purposes that transcend their self-centered existence which characterized their age of minority. Fraternity/sorority nm programs are in the same general category.
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Whoa, Wolfman, You've had your Wheaties today!
Even though young people seem to be more narcissitic in some ways, there is still a tremendous yearning for friendships that are real and lasting, and opportunities to experience a kind of fellowship and family love that many people never do find. Greeks have that to offer! Can we tap into the best part of what we are and sell it?
Odd that we put so much focus on the exclusivity aspect of Greek membership as collegians. After you've been an alum for about one year, most people come to realize that anybody could be your sister/brother. And when you realize that anybody could be...you know that everybody is. What a blessing that realization has been to me in my adult life as I've navigated the workplace, becoming a member of my husband's family, creating relationships with my children's friends and their parents...and involvement in many organizations and activities in my community. Because of my GPB membership experience, I know how to relate to so many people who are so different than me!