A question (don't flame me, please!)

[Betarulz!]

I think that a lot of the anti-greek sentiment is like what JAM said about it being a continuation of HS.

I was in the middle of the social pack in HS and I know that occasionally I riduculed those who were extremely "popular" and I more than once overheard those who I would consider lower than me just rip on the in crowd for a variety of reasons. Usually it was about the intellectual qualities of the cool kids (which for most were rather nonexistant but I digress) or the cool kids' chances for success later in life.

For us who were goign to college and we knew that we'd be sucessful in the future, I think there was an ideal that college was going to be a place where our intelligence was goign to finally be appreciated instead of being a ticket to lower social status. College was going to be a place where the cliques were virtually non-existant, where there was no delineation of who was cooler than the others, somplace where you were just friends with who you were friends with...

Then to come to college and find a whole system of people who think they are cooler (and I think that for the most part every GLO member thinks/feels they are better off for going greek - otherwise we wouldn't defend our choice so vehemently). Further the line is well drawn, and it's more noticable as to who is part of this system.

Finally I think what really frustrates independents is that they can't complain about Greeks not being intelligent, not being involved, not going to be sucessful. So they pick on things like "I don't buy my friends" or what not.

Now this obviously doesn't apply to every independent, as I know we all have friends who don't feel this way. I know that all my HS friends kinda just said "Whatevs" to my decision, and I think they understood that going out of state was a part of my decision. Perhaps if I had been going to school with them and joined they might felt different b/c it could be construed as a "i'm leaving you behind" sort of deal.

That's my 2 cents, and I think it makes sense but I could be way off base.

[KSigkid]

There are a bunch of reasons why those who aren't Greek may have negative opinions of those who are.

Many opinions have been shaped over the years by repeated exposure to a stereotype. Whether it be on the news, in movies, or just from things they've heard, for most of their lives people hear about the stereotypes of Greek life, hear about the bad things, and it gets to the point that when they think "Greeks", one of the first things that comes to mind is bad. It's a sort of conditioning that occurs before even stepping foot in college.

Also, some people get burned by the Greek system in less direct ways than being given a no-bid. Some people see their best friends go Greek and feel slighted. Some don't get into a party and feel slighted. Some have brothers or sisters who have had a negative experience, and again, feel slighted.

This isn't to say that those who are against the Greek system are right. There is a board full of us who will defend our organizations/ideals to the death, and there are many many more of us out there who represent what is best about Greek society, and in turn, what is best about society. There are those (we know who they are) who have rather weak, narrow-minded arguments about why they don't like Greek Life.

There are those, however, who seem to be pre-conditioned to that idea, and who are never given the chance to change (like brooklineu was).

Now, I was fed positive experiences far before I got to school. My mother was in a local sorority, and my uncle was a Zeta Psi. My father (who it turned out wasn't too happy about me pledging) never fed me the anti-Fraternity rhetoric. My mom and uncle talked up the system to me, and when I walked into Boston University for the first time, I had a pretty good idea that I would at least rush at some point, if not pledge.

Part of it is a question of what you're brought up with, and the attitudes you have going into school.

Collin

[Tom Earp]

SAEGuy, chalk up another Kansasan!!!!!! Send me you e-m so can get ahold of you as weather SEEMS ( ? ) to be getting nicer and make make a run to KU! Do you live in teh House?

KS Member, to you know Dean Hagan? Better say yea and tell me who he is as is a freind! I know you are near the LXA House as take off Emery to get to ours!

Cannot beleive where AGD are Planning to build thier new house on the Mountain side!