Bad Press...

WhiteDaisy128 · #1 08-30-2005, 08:31 PM

I have mixed emotions on this, but would love to hear other's opinions...

This article was published in the NCSU's Newspaper, The Technician:

http://www.technicianonline.com/story.php?id=012007

Quote:

Sorostitutes Are Weak And Wounded
Posted: 08.26.2005
Daniel Underwood

We've all seen them. They walk with their noses turned toward the sky. They carry gigantic Vera Bradley purses. Huge circular ornaments -- I've been told they're sunglasses, though I still need to see the evidence -- hang from their faces; they look like Martians, members of a hazmat team or avid Darth Vader fans at the opening of a new Star Wars film. If you're lucky, you might just hear their Sperry Topsiders flapping against the ground, warning you that one's right around the corner. Yes, the dreaded "sorostitute."

But we shouldn't really make fun of these bilge-ridden, rancorous old sows; well, we shouldn't "just" make fun of them. We should also feel sorrow for them. They have been used and abused by the allurements of sorority pop-culture.

The image of the modern liberated woman -- empowered, sexy, audacious and fun -- has in many ways been inverted by sorority pop-culture. And by pop-culture I mean the superficial aspects of sorority life. The behaviors and the trends, without all that nutty sisterhood stuff; like Hollywood without actors, or religion without God. This inversion has happened to such an extent that the rites and relics of sorority life have gone from once being simply trends or communal symbols to now actually being part and parcel of sorority life itself. In a large way, sorority life is now more about accouterments than esprit de corps.

The analogy would of course be to the world's biggest popularity contest, also known as high school. The less fortunate or less popular kids always wanted to hang-out with the "cool" kids; they wanted to ride in the better cars, go to the better parties, wear the better clothes and just generally be envied. Now, did these less fortunate kids have some deep inner connection with the inner souls of the more popular kids? Clearly not. They wanted what the "cool" kids had; and they would sacrifice everything for a little acceptance.

And that's exactly what we're seeing a lot of today in college. Many girls are attracted to the glitz and glamour of sorority life. They could care less about being enjoined by common interests or nurturing lasting relationships other than those of the "I-slept-with-the-same-guys-you-slept-with" variety.

Take, for example, the exclusive list of clothes retailers and fashion accessories which basically serve as a litmus test for entry into a sorority (and I'm not talking about the kind of entry that takes place after drunken frat parties). Girls bite into that stuff like rabid dogs. It really is sad. Their neurotic conformity to the latest fashion trend shows how many girls forsake their own creativity and their true personality for blind faceless acceptance.

While their clothes often pitch-hit for their personalities, it's also worth our time to think about how they'll do almost anything in order to gain acceptance, and then just turn their backs on all their old friends. They thrash their way into a clique and then spit on anyone on the outside. In all actuality, these girls are simply insecure. Without a real sense of self-worth, they try to cheat or sleep their way into cafe society. Again, I really feel sorry for them.

One of the most valuable lessons in life is learning to be comfortable with oneself. Some famed author and speaker, whose name escapes me, has once said that our social progression through life takes us from dependence, through independence and into interdependence. In other words, at first we depend upon everyone for our self-worth. Then, we shun everyone else and defiantly call ourselves "accomplished," in whatever way we may conceive of. But finally, upon reaching the promised land of maturity, we become comfortable in our own shoes yet are still able to reciprocate well with others; able to both give and receive, to correct and be corrected. We're too high to be torn-down by others' opinions, but not too high to receive a little criticism here-and-there. Strength and humility, coalescing in one composite whole called self-comfort. Well, that's at least what I call it.

I might sound a bit dragging and platitudinous. But so be it. Obviously some people still need to hear my advice (witness "sorostitutes").

Oftentimes, sorostitutes feel validated when they discover that guys like them. But, sadly, they are so often deceived. Most men don't want this type of woman. They may entreat them as toys or trophies to be trotted out in front of their friends, but men don't want women who are decorated to death as partners in any type of meaningful relationship. However, it remains possible that these girls realize this and are perfectly happy with cheap, fleeting trysts. If so, I am even more saddened.

Lest there be any confusion -- as inevitably there always is -- what am I really saying? Is sorority life in any way "bad?" No, rather I think it can be a wonderful thing (though admittedly, I've never tried it). Are all sorority girls "sorostitutes?" Heavens no! None of my sorority friends are sorostitutes; but there's a lot of them out there who are.

My contention is not with sorority life. I'm worried about the girls who have nose-dived into sorority pop-culture to mask their insecurities. They aren't really interested in relationships. They just want to be loved, for all the wrong reasons.

I think it was distasteful to publish this column with just a week left before Sorority recruitment and in the middle of Fraternity rush. Greek Life took quite a stand on it and held a rally (not a protest) in support of womans rights (as not just Sorority women dress and act like was described in the column)...but it was not well received at all. It turned into Greek Life vs. Free Speech.

The campus is TOTALLY split now. Local press is all over it too. What do you think about the column? What would you have done in reaction? Anyone else have something like this happen on your campus?

For LONG LONG reading (as if all of this was not enough), check out this thread on an NCSU message board to see the general population's reaction:

http://www.brentroad.com/message_top...x?topic=344528

valkyrie · #2 08-30-2005, 08:42 PM

One of the most valuable lessons in life is learning to be comfortable with oneself.

The thing is, if you're comfortable with yourself, you don't need to bitch about how other people are insecure and basically mindless drones conforming to some BS standard.

This article is full of generalities and has no evidence to back them up -- it's pretty much the brain vomit of an author who is pretending to be cool and better than the lowly sorority women but in reality is just as judgmental and shallow as he claims the sorority women are. Why does anyone even bother paying attention to something so stupid and lacking in substance?

valkyrie · #3 08-30-2005, 08:44 PM

Also, do you know where I could find a picture of the author? I'd like to write a little article about him.

honeychile · #4 08-30-2005, 08:59 PM

The term "fluff piece" comes to mind when reading this. It's a trite regurgatation of most sorority myths, and unfortunately, the author thinks he's serious.

Well, I guess he is - seriously deluded, that is!

_Q_ · #5 08-30-2005, 09:25 PM

I don't really care how he feels about sororities, but I'm surprised that the editorial staff didn't help him fix his writing. There were some truly wince-worthy phrases in the article, like "in all actuality." Perhaps the Bulwer-Lytton contest could be a good opportunity for him. http://www.bulwer-lytton.com/

ADPiAkron · #6 08-30-2005, 09:38 PM

Latest news...

http://technicianonline.com/story.php?id=012037

LoggerTheta · #7 08-30-2005, 09:50 PM

Personally I was always tought that if someone offends me with the blatent intent on doing so, then the fault is with that person, and not with me. I just let stuff like that roll right off my back. There's no reason to let it bother me to read that because I know that I went through every day of rush (bar pref night) wearing men's cargo pants. Haha. And I still shop at the thrift store! But I can wear my letters with pride knowing that I adhere to all of our ideals in the most serious of manners.

Yes, the artical was distasteful, but PNMs can make their own decisions about whether it's true or not, and with such a flagrent attempt to slander GLOs, it's really no big deal. That's just my opinion though. Thanks for listening.

valkyrie · #8 08-30-2005, 10:07 PM

This guy is a nutcase.

His "writing" makes me laugh.

tunatartare · #9 08-30-2005, 10:17 PM

What bothers me about the second article is that it says that the girls couldn't comment on it because they were "silenced by their national organization." I feel that putting it in those exact words only gives the anti-Greeks more to talk about.

Speechpath · #10 08-30-2005, 10:18 PM

The writing is horrible, he sounds bitter to me personally but he has the right to air his opinion (although the timing before rush is poor). I do think the rally response was a bit over the top. Why give him more attention?

Firehouse · #11 08-30-2005, 10:22 PM

Most of you are much too nice. This is typlical hippy liberal gibberish, designed to hurt and timed to do the most damage. You can bet that the little leftist journalists are high-fiving over the response. Your response should be that while everyone is entitled to express their opinion, the student-funded (I assume) paper is not free to attack for the sake of deliberately doing damage to legitimate student organizations.
If it were me, I would organize all Greeks and immediately withdraw all advertising form the paper. All of it, dead stop. I would use Greek influence in student government to do the same. I would start my own publication which caters to my market, and I would send people to visit each and every advertiser in the leftist paper to let them know that they now have the unique opportunity to focus on that very same upscale market that the pinkos make fun of.
Money talks. Money makes the advertisers sit up and take notice. You are NOT obligated to sit still and stand for deliberate, vicious attacks on your character.
It does no good to "meet with the student journalists and establish a dialogue." They don't like us; in fact they hate us. And they hate us becuase of who we are and who they are.
Trust me, you can fight back and you can win. You can put them out of business. And if you think that's too harsh, think again. They'd put you out of business in a hearbeat if they could.

ADqtPiMel · #12 08-30-2005, 10:32 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Speechpath
The writing is horrible, he sounds bitter to me personally but he has the right to air his opinion (although the timing before rush is poor). I do think the rally response was a bit over the top. Why give him more attention?

I think the rally response was awesome. If someone at my school called me a sorostitute, I'd sure as hell be out there protesting.

valkyrie · #13 08-30-2005, 10:43 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Firehouse
Most of you are much too nice. This is typlical hippy liberal gibberish, designed to hurt and timed to do the most damage. You can bet that the little leftist journalists are high-fiving over the response. Your response should be that while everyone is entitled to express their opinion, the student-funded (I assume) paper is not free to attack for the sake of deliberately doing damage to legitimate student organizations.

From what I've been able to discover, the author is involved with College Republicans, opposes abortion, is anti-ACLU and anti "leftist" (liberals are out to ruin American society!), anti-Islam, and thinks the U.S. needs to retain its strong, Christian tradition.

That hardly qualifies as typical hippy liberal gibberish. Since when are hippies so hateful, anyway?

ADqtPiMel · #14 08-30-2005, 10:45 PM

I'm a hippie and I'm pretty damn hateful.

Also, I was going to be nice but his article made me mad so I'll go ahead and say it:

Dude appears to be mildly cross-eyed.

KSUViolet06 · #15 08-30-2005, 10:47 PM

The Stater (Kent's student newspaper) prints crap like this ALL the time. Though it is oddly most directed toward fraternities. The only time greeks get positive press in the Stater is when the story is covered by a Greek. It's so sad that so many student writers are anti-Greek. I wonder what we ever did to them to make them that way. I suppose there are always going to be people who shun groups that are not open membership.