Alexandra Robbins, Authoress of PLEDGED, said:

[LaneSig]

Originally Posted by AlwaysSAI

As for the secrets, I honestly doubt she is an initiated member of a greek letter organization. She had at least 3 different org's secrets in the book and I would bet money that those secrets were disclosed by ostricized members.


As for Robbins' interpretation of the National's of most orgs--it's going to be a little out of touch with the collegiate side because most of them have been alumnae for quite a while. Yeah, every org has problem--both of my HQs do--NO ONE ORG IS PERFECT.

Two questions/opinions.

#1 - Why did she need to reveal any organizations's secrets? It their organization, it's their choice if they should be made public or not. Did she reveal the secrets of her own organization?

#2 - Yes, most Nationals/Internationals/HQs do get a little out of touch with the collegiate groups. Times change and our HQs need to understand that and see how the changing times are effecting them. But, remember this, your HQ is made up of members of your org who threw down and partied in their day. They haven't really forgotten (or gotten out of touch) as much as matured. (Heck, I would love for Carnation, PenguinTrax, DeltAlum and many of us to start a post about some of the things we did. Or, better yet, maybe we shouldn't.)

[AlwaysSAI]

Originally Posted by LaneSig

Two questions/opinions.

#1 - Why did she need to reveal any organizations's secrets? It their organization, it's their choice if they should be made public or not. Did she reveal the secrets of her own organization?

#2 - Yes, most Nationals/Internationals/HQs do get a little out of touch with the collegiate groups. Times change and our HQs need to understand that and see how the changing times are effecting them. But, remember this, your HQ is made up of members of your org who threw down and partied in their day. They haven't really forgotten (or gotten out of touch) as much as matured. (Heck, I would love for Carnation, PenguinTrax, DeltAlum and many of us to start a post about some of the things we did. Or, better yet, maybe we shouldn't.)

1) To make money. That's what she's out to do.

2) Maturity is what it takes for an org with 205 active collegiate chapters to operate. I would not have much faith in my orgs if there were no alcohol rules/badge attire/regulations set upon us by nationals--because then we would crumble and die. Collegiate members are not mature enough to make sound decisions affecting the sustainability of their chapter. Those regulations are set in place by people older, wiser, and more experienced than us. Frankly, I have no problems with the rules my HQ(s) have bestowed upon me and my chapter.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by AlwaysSAI

2) Maturity is what it takes for an org with 205 active collegiate chapters to operate. I would not have much faith in my orgs if there were no alcohol rules/badge attire/regulations set upon us by nationals--because then we would crumble and die. Collegiate members are not mature enough to make sound decisions affecting the sustainability of their chapter. Those regulations are set in place by people older, wiser, and more experienced than us. Frankly, I have no problems with the rules my HQ(s) have bestowed upon me and my chapter.

You're pretty much agreeing w/ what LaneSig said, but you're misinterpreting AR's argument. She is saying that the emphasis on looks and image comes directly from the national headquarters, not collegians or rushees, and that that's the reason sorority rush is so "shallow" and image-based. To use an example - a member of what is acknowledged to be one of the more "traditional" NPC groups said on here that if it was up to the collegians, they would most likely pass an anti-discrimination bylaw including sexual orientation, but as it was, they couldn't get it past their national council and up for a vote. I may not have gotten that exactly right, but that's the kind of thing AR was talking about. Not so much the "rules" but the overall tone of sorority membership - the women with the most power are invariably on the conservative side.

Times change - ask any women who went to college in the 1950s - 1960s about parietal rules. If those colleges would still have those rules, they would have shriveled up and died.

[AlwaysSAI]

Originally Posted by 33girl

Times change - ask any women who went to college in the 1950s - 1960s about parietal rules. If those colleges would still have those rules, they would have shriveled up and died.

I <3 that.

It has been a few years since I read the book, so I may have a few details missing.

Sorority membership is shallow, but so is all greek membership. I mean, seriously, how many of us have sat in a MS meeting and said "yes, sally has 3eyes, gaping teeth, and resemebles frankenstien's monster, but she really does meet our membership standard. I think we should invite her to pref!"

I was talking to an AXO today who was telling me about a 35 year old woman who had registered for recruitment and OMG, why did she do it? did she really think she would get in somewhere.

Some of the standards are set forth by our HQ and I think that what happened at DePaw is completely and udderly wrong--but it is the minority.
I can't believe that a chapter consultant would tell you that you can't take Jesse Black because she has red hair and we are not a red hair chapter. And, as for HQs not passing discrimination clauses and such, I'm sure that eventually they will catch up. You can't stay behind the curve forever.

[33girl]

I'm going to be bitchy here but - you are not in an NPC group. You don't have to deal w/ total and quota. Your experience is different.

[AlwaysSAI]

Originally Posted by 33girl

I'm going to be bitchy here but - you are not in an NPC group. You don't have to deal w/ total and quota. Your experience is different.

and, of course, that is the one thing I think is missing from the book.

She did not present a wholistic view of greek life. Mainly just NPCs, a few mentions of NPHC, and one or two locals.

But, yes, my experience has been different because both of my orgs don't have a quota and we can take whomever and how many ever of them we want.

[cheerfulgreek]

Originally Posted by AlwaysSAI

She did not present a wholistic view of greek life. Mainly just NPCs, a few mentions of NPHC, and one or two locals.

Exactly! That was one of the 1st things she mentioned in the book, that she was not going to focus on NPHC sororities. Her focus was NPC, just the negative though. The "over" exaggerated negatives!

[lyrelyre]

Originally Posted by AlwaysSAI

No, the things presented in the book did not place sororities in the best light, but she was writing about 4 different girls in 4 different houses and their experiences in the sororities on their campus.

I believe it was 4 members of 2 different chapters.

One of the main flaws I found with the book was that she was reporting secondhand information in the first-person as if she were there. The detail that she includes from meetings and private conversations at which she was not present proves (in my mind anyway) that this book is at least partially a work of fiction.

Additionally, she had to rely on these 4 members passing information to her. I have found in my many years as an active collegiate member and as an advising alumna that girls will complain a great deal when they are upset, mad, or disappointed about something. However, when things are going well you don’t always discuss how much you are enjoying yourself. As an advisor, I have often found that “no news is good news.” It seems as though these 4 members used AR as a person to confide in and vent to when things were not going well. AR took that as an indication that these women were constantly unhappy.

Lastly, I found that AR’s tone throughout the book bothered me. She discussed how great non-NPC groups were, yet included stories that could have sounded just as salacious if she had used her “NPC tone.” One of the hazing stories she included was 2 AKA “pledges” who allegedly drowned in the ocean after forced calisthenics. She fails to mention that this was not an NPC organization. I’m not saying that because some non-NPC groups haze it’s okay for NPC groups to do so as well. I am simply attempting pointing out her inconsistent reporting.