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The major problem with people who throw the whole "buying friends" copout at you is that in nearly every case, there is NOTHING you can say to change their mind. Don't bother - you're only going to waste your own time and energy and will only succeed in frustrating yourself.
When I became an SAE, I made an investment. I've only been an SAE for a few years, but I've already earned PLENTY in dividends. The friendships I've made - friendships I never would have had otherwise not because of paying dues, but because I simply never would have met these people to begin with given the size of my campus - are worth more to me than just about anything else in my life. These are the people who I'm going to invite to my wedding, to share with me in the enjoyment of watching my (future) children grow up, to remember and reflect on the "good-old-days" when we're retired... these are people I'm going to be friends with FOREVER.
Most of these narrow-minded half-wits who think they have the Greek world all figured out don't have the brain power to understand the meaning, significance or value of a life-long friendship and quite frankly I haven't either the time or interest to try to explain it to them. It's their loss anyway. Sure, I've had to deal with some headaches brought on by being Greek and involved, but what career, what pursuit, what adventure of any kind isn't without its challenges? In my opinion, it's all worth it.
Notwithstanding all of these priceless friendships and opportunities of incalculable value, there are two things I've received already from being an SAE that either individually would satisfy all of my investments of time, money and energy, both past and future, but which together have guaranteed that becoming an SAE was the best decision I have ever made. The first: after studying our Ritual and contemplating seriously on it, as a once questioning person trying to hold on to a little thread of faith, I am now so much closer to my belief in God that I can't imagine where I was previously. Second: becoming an SAE afforded me the most valuable friendship of all - my best friend and future wife.
If that isn't an investment well made, then quite frankly I don't know what is.
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