KSIGTAZ,
Winning is everything. They spent enormous amounts of money too erect scoreboards.
If it does not matter who wins, why keep the score. I’m not limiting it to the field either.
While you are at work, home, your credit report, your 401k, GPA, or the level of your education. It is all a score and it’s competitive. Winning is a habit! So is loosing. My statement goes to the attitude we are striving to recruit. My Fraternity is not for everyone, probably not for most and never will be. As I said in a previous post, my chapter places many hours in the decision even to issue a bid. We spend 3-4 hours a night for a week in committee and then 12-16 hours in lockdown on the final day until the decisions are made. Generally, we bid 25 to 40% of those requesting. We operate in an open system. My chapter could not exist in a closed bidding system. I believe that the closed bidding system limits the natural selection of the perspectives’ as well as the chapters. I understand the purpose of it, I just do not agree with it. It is similar to affirmative action.
As too seeing my Brothers, I did not say pledge Brothers, I said “I would die for my Brothers still today, many of whom I have not seen in years.” I stand by this. Since I pledged there have been 397 brothers. I do not see them all every year. I do see most of the actives from my undergrad years, every year. Our alumni do not just walk away into the sunset. They mentor the new Brothers during their undergraduate career and support the pledges during their “education”. Being a Brother in my chapter is a lifelong commitment. Since 1986, NO brother of my chapter has had to withdraw from college purely for financial reasons. Our alumni will never again allow an undergrad Brother to fall by the wayside. Today, we have 17 Brothers in tuition repayment and 2 actives on tuition subsidy. To this day, I still turn to my mentors for advice and guidance. Yes, there are those who fail to live up to the expectations and they are dealt with harshly. Even in a traditional family there are black sheep. If you fail too trim the fat, you get lazy and sloppy. The scoreboard is still running.
No, I do not believe that you can explain the ocean to someone who has never seen it. It is just an analogy. I cannot completely explain my experiences and expectations of brotherhood to you or anyone else. Brotherhood in my chapter is more than a word. It has to become part of your soul. My chapter over the years has been very successful in maintaining the standards that the Alumni demand. A large part of the success is due the mentoring programs that were instituted prior to my pledge period. The vision of my chapter fathers has proven to be crystal. One of my duties is to evaluate the pledge period. After initiation, I sit down with every new Brother and discuss his impressions, views, lessons, and experiences. Then I meet them as a group and discuss their newfound view of Brotherhood. I mentioned in another post that they all shed tears when recalling their pledge period and I got blasted from someone for making a pledge cry. They are tears of joy, Brotherhood and love, not of fear. We have changed some of the things we do over the years, but not much. If a tactic does not produce the desired response then we alter or change it. Everything we do during our pledge period is scripted for purpose. A new Brother is not allowed to take part in “education” of pledges his first term as a active. He simply observes. The second time he is allowed to participate, but not Lead and must have a senior Brother with him at all times. Only certain Brothers may Lead, they earn the title and must maintain it. No “education” may take place without a Lead. This accountability and mentoring is what stabilizes my chapter. I see wild swings in other chapters on my college’s campus. Their personalities over the years swings the full scale and sometimes returns. Others never have. The personality of my chapter slides very little.
You said, “I don't share the level your accustomed to, I surpass it and everyday I strive to improve upon that.”
I agree that we don’t share the same level of Brotherhood. We probably don’t even share the same definition of “Brotherhood” and that’s fine. I don’t degrade you for your beliefs and if you truly strive to improve it, then I congratulate you.
I have but one life to live, one life to give, and one score to keep.
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