This final group project was an interesting self discovery for me. I think this is because living in a Greek community that doesn't foster a sense of community can be pretty draining on one's enthusiastic outlook on change. When I went into this group project, most people will tell you that I was very pessimistic and negative while trying to brainstorm ideas for our "perfect" Greek community. I have discovered that this outlook arose out of the countless subliminal "paslov" reinforcements. A majority of fraternities and sororities are not looking for group cohesiveness.
This is where the first major gap in fictional Greek community and the real life one we currently are in. One of the major differences is that our project community highlighted collaboration heavily between fraternities and sororities. Each Greek house aimed at improving themselves while also improving others. This selfless commonality not only ensured individual chapters were refined into achieving their greatest potential, but the community at large accomplished this as well. The problem with the current fraternal situation is that it lacks heavily in the area of collaboration. In fact it borders on directly hindering collaboration. "Chapter Bashing" is notorious in our Greek Community. Even chapters that have similar values as ours are hated(i.e. called douches) because they don't "carry out" their ideals in a similar fashion. I know from having roommates and floormates in other chapters that this is a common community practice. Luckily, this change would be pretty simple to convert to our fraternal change model and would seriously help with the "resistance" so many of my brothers have brought up in their blogs.
The other major gap in our two groups is community congruence in individual chapter and Greek life values. In our project, each chapter individually had values special to them which fostered intrinsic motivation for maintaining these ideals, and improving their chapter. In a community setting our similar values combined into a unified front which created a communal sense of cultivating individualistic improvement and benefitting the ohio-state community as a whole. As of now, our community is more focused on "ragers" and selfish, inward looking mindset. Although there is the argument that this style benefits individual chapters, the Greek community's image as a whole is being negatively affected. When one chapter is "bashed" then the community as a whole gets grouped in this negative stigma.
Both of these differences really explain the rest of the differences in our final presentation and Greek life as it is now. This is because the rest of the differences are actually similarities once these two disparities are corrected. Active self improvement of character, community involvement/ betterment, and fostering lifelong social etiquette/ lifelong positive friendships are just a couple of similarities that would show if we fixed our group cohesiveness and congruence.
Any thoughts?
Coz
Monday, March 14, 2011
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Agent for Change
This chapter jumped out to me for a few reasons. The first major thing that lept off the page at me was that anyone can be an agent for change. You don't have to be the president or a leader of an astute corporation or group. It could be a five year old who sees something that is lacking in the community. I think people often assume that if you are not in a position of legitimate power than you cannot make a difference. This chapter points out that as long as you see a need for change, you have a mission to accomplish that change, and you follow the seven c's of the social change model that you have the makings to start effective change.
The second thing that I would like to stress is how an individual, no matter how passionate and enthusiastic about change, can only go so far. In order for to achieve the greatest potential for change it must be focused around a group effort. Not only does this help diversify and freshen ideas, but it also allows for a sounding board to gather ideas from and to bounce ideas off of.
I think in a group setting there is also times for leading and times for following. Sometimes one's ideals and efforts can only go so far as a leading force. However difficult it may be letting go of the reigns, it is necessary sometimes to let others take the lead. If one is so steadfast in being a leader it can lead to group conflicts that end up hindering the group. Also, leading takes on different appearances depending on what is necessary. Sometimes coercive power is indeed the kind of power that has to be implemented to get things rolling. In some circumstances referent power works better. It all depends on the situation as does knowing when to lead and when to follow.
The second to last idea I really like in being a change agent is taking small steps at a time. In most situations one's figurative muscles are not developed enough to make a giant leap into the waters of change ( ha cheesy much ). Although it is hard to see changes in the small steps, they are the most beneficial in building the foundation for change. As one of my brothers mentioned in his blog, "it takes time to implement change." Just because you dont see immediate results doesn't mean your plan for change isn't working. Sometimes a bunch of small steps that take a while to produce results end up making the biggest difference. When you add little factors they will add up overtime and create lasting change.
Anyways, those were just some ideas that came to me while reading.
Dueces sideways,
Coz
The second thing that I would like to stress is how an individual, no matter how passionate and enthusiastic about change, can only go so far. In order for to achieve the greatest potential for change it must be focused around a group effort. Not only does this help diversify and freshen ideas, but it also allows for a sounding board to gather ideas from and to bounce ideas off of.
I think in a group setting there is also times for leading and times for following. Sometimes one's ideals and efforts can only go so far as a leading force. However difficult it may be letting go of the reigns, it is necessary sometimes to let others take the lead. If one is so steadfast in being a leader it can lead to group conflicts that end up hindering the group. Also, leading takes on different appearances depending on what is necessary. Sometimes coercive power is indeed the kind of power that has to be implemented to get things rolling. In some circumstances referent power works better. It all depends on the situation as does knowing when to lead and when to follow.
The second to last idea I really like in being a change agent is taking small steps at a time. In most situations one's figurative muscles are not developed enough to make a giant leap into the waters of change ( ha cheesy much ). Although it is hard to see changes in the small steps, they are the most beneficial in building the foundation for change. As one of my brothers mentioned in his blog, "it takes time to implement change." Just because you dont see immediate results doesn't mean your plan for change isn't working. Sometimes a bunch of small steps that take a while to produce results end up making the biggest difference. When you add little factors they will add up overtime and create lasting change.
Anyways, those were just some ideas that came to me while reading.
Dueces sideways,
Coz
SCM
O boy, the social change model. I will go into what this means, hopefully not being to repetitive haha.
The SCM has helped me realize the potential I have in Fiji's community, the Greek community, and the OSU community. It has solidified what I have already known about leadership, debunked some of the myths of leadership, and added to my understanding of leading. It has done this is a few different ways.
First of all, I think the social change model has really helped to put some structure to what I already knew about group collaborations and leadership. I guess before the social change model I never realized just how much focus there should be on the individual. First you need to understand your own values, because without understanding your own beliefs how can you expect to lead others towards a goal or belief. Also I have learned just how important congruency is in your values, not just for your character, but also for gaining trust from others which is extremely important in leadership.
The second thing I have learned Is how to effectively integrate myself in a group and just how important diversity in a group can really be. SCM has really shown me that a group does not have to have similar mindsets to be effective. In fact its better to have different mindsets so that there are multiple perspectives on how a goal can be achieved and you can take the positive aspects of each different perspective. One myth SCM has helped me debunk is that there can only be one leader in a group. I think this is a great thing to know especially when you accompany this idea with a diverse group. Each member brings in a different perspective and also excels in different areas. This means that for given situations any member can be a leader.
Another great idea the social change model brings forth is controversy with civility. This is because with unique and differing perspectives it is easy to get into arguments over which one is better. Controversy without civility causes groups to be dysfunctional. But with civility multiple ideas can come together and form a new all encompassing idea. This ensures that all different ideas are analyzed and the best possible idea/ combination of ideas is/are chosen.
The SCM has really shed light on all of these different areas of leadership and I cant wait to try and integrate what I have learned into my leadership capabilities.
Peace out yall
Coz
The SCM has helped me realize the potential I have in Fiji's community, the Greek community, and the OSU community. It has solidified what I have already known about leadership, debunked some of the myths of leadership, and added to my understanding of leading. It has done this is a few different ways.
First of all, I think the social change model has really helped to put some structure to what I already knew about group collaborations and leadership. I guess before the social change model I never realized just how much focus there should be on the individual. First you need to understand your own values, because without understanding your own beliefs how can you expect to lead others towards a goal or belief. Also I have learned just how important congruency is in your values, not just for your character, but also for gaining trust from others which is extremely important in leadership.
The second thing I have learned Is how to effectively integrate myself in a group and just how important diversity in a group can really be. SCM has really shown me that a group does not have to have similar mindsets to be effective. In fact its better to have different mindsets so that there are multiple perspectives on how a goal can be achieved and you can take the positive aspects of each different perspective. One myth SCM has helped me debunk is that there can only be one leader in a group. I think this is a great thing to know especially when you accompany this idea with a diverse group. Each member brings in a different perspective and also excels in different areas. This means that for given situations any member can be a leader.
Another great idea the social change model brings forth is controversy with civility. This is because with unique and differing perspectives it is easy to get into arguments over which one is better. Controversy without civility causes groups to be dysfunctional. But with civility multiple ideas can come together and form a new all encompassing idea. This ensures that all different ideas are analyzed and the best possible idea/ combination of ideas is/are chosen.
The SCM has really shed light on all of these different areas of leadership and I cant wait to try and integrate what I have learned into my leadership capabilities.
Peace out yall
Coz
Fiji Strengths and Weaknesses
Hello Everyone,
Since I don't like to end on negative notes I suppose I will start off with Fiji weaknesses.
Service is definitely an area in which Fiji lacks and we lack for a couple of reasons. The first is we don't harp on brothers who don't make their service hours. Seven a quarter is not difficult and the only disincentive that is out there is a weak sentence normally comprising of being a sober monitor at one social event. In my mind ( not saying I do this ) it is almost better to skip the 7 hours of service and get the fine. Why waste seven hours when you get a fine you might not even have to be forced to do ( I have heard several brothers with this mindset for the record ). The second big issue is that we don't reward/congratulate brothers who excel in this area. There is no incentive to become excellent in this value ( in essence we are neglecting two values by treating service like we do.) Most Fiji's just try to comply with the minimum of 7 hours and then pass up other service opportunities because the requirement was fulfilled. Now the last problem I see is that Fiji makes service an individual prerogative. Although there are some huge group events, no brothers actually make an effort to plan service projects with other brothers. As one of my brothers already mentioned in his blog, Fiji could really grow in the area of service if we just attempted to make it more group oriented.
The other obvious area Fiji is lacking in is the social aspect. I'm not saying we don't like to go out and have a good time. Of course not, some of the best times I have ever had have been out with my brothers. What I am talking about is our interactions and "lasting impressions" we leave with sororities. We have talked about this issue in class a lot so I'll just summarize a couple points of where we are lacking. The first is the connections we "fail" at making. Not trying to sound harsh or anything, but Fiji has some trouble making lasting connections. This could be a result of awkward social settings, needing alcohol for "confidence", or our lack of previously known sorority ladies. Either way, only a few brothers are able to make connections in the night and, as another brother mentioned, when we wake up nothing significant has changed since the prior night. I do think that more sober events could really strengthen us in this area. Accompany that with treating a T.G. as a pre game instead of "the game" would also help us make actual connections with sororities.
Both of these weaknesses revolve around our community. However both of these could be great strong suits if we change our deficiencies in both categories.
Onto Fiji strengths.
This will be really lengthy if I go into every area in which we are great so I'll narrow it down to what I think is our greatest area.
I believe it is our diversity that sets us apart from any other chapter. Not in terms of ethnicity, but in terms of ideas and perspectives. Everyone in Fiji is so unique. There are social extroverts, brothers involved in every area of campus, video gamers, musicians, and many more. All of these different perspectives combine into the most unique fraternity on campus. I think this diversity leads not to a downfall, but a true advantage in the Greek community. Becoming stagnant is a true fear in Greek life. I think this is very likely if your chapter has similar perspectives and ideas. This is why Fiji is so great. We always have new ideas and perspectives to contribute to the overall greatness that is the Feej. This causes our values to be continually checked and improved never allowing our chapter to grow contempt in our ways but to always be striving for excellence. I believe this comes primarily from recruitment. Every brother looks for potentials who embody our values. However, every brother has different values they cherish more than others. So this leads to bringing potentials around who all excel in different areas of Fiji. Our diversity is also a strength in our community because we have brothers who can relate to every chapter and person on campus. This is great for recruitment and trying to foster a unified Greek community.
I think that cabinet is really starting to address our weaknesses and they are doing a great job in fostering a unified Fiji front. However, other than recruitment, I feel like our committee chairs are lacking mostly from poor organization skills. I do think that cabinet will help them grow and really utilize our resources to make Fiji the best that it can be.
Signing off.
Coz
Since I don't like to end on negative notes I suppose I will start off with Fiji weaknesses.
Service is definitely an area in which Fiji lacks and we lack for a couple of reasons. The first is we don't harp on brothers who don't make their service hours. Seven a quarter is not difficult and the only disincentive that is out there is a weak sentence normally comprising of being a sober monitor at one social event. In my mind ( not saying I do this ) it is almost better to skip the 7 hours of service and get the fine. Why waste seven hours when you get a fine you might not even have to be forced to do ( I have heard several brothers with this mindset for the record ). The second big issue is that we don't reward/congratulate brothers who excel in this area. There is no incentive to become excellent in this value ( in essence we are neglecting two values by treating service like we do.) Most Fiji's just try to comply with the minimum of 7 hours and then pass up other service opportunities because the requirement was fulfilled. Now the last problem I see is that Fiji makes service an individual prerogative. Although there are some huge group events, no brothers actually make an effort to plan service projects with other brothers. As one of my brothers already mentioned in his blog, Fiji could really grow in the area of service if we just attempted to make it more group oriented.
The other obvious area Fiji is lacking in is the social aspect. I'm not saying we don't like to go out and have a good time. Of course not, some of the best times I have ever had have been out with my brothers. What I am talking about is our interactions and "lasting impressions" we leave with sororities. We have talked about this issue in class a lot so I'll just summarize a couple points of where we are lacking. The first is the connections we "fail" at making. Not trying to sound harsh or anything, but Fiji has some trouble making lasting connections. This could be a result of awkward social settings, needing alcohol for "confidence", or our lack of previously known sorority ladies. Either way, only a few brothers are able to make connections in the night and, as another brother mentioned, when we wake up nothing significant has changed since the prior night. I do think that more sober events could really strengthen us in this area. Accompany that with treating a T.G. as a pre game instead of "the game" would also help us make actual connections with sororities.
Both of these weaknesses revolve around our community. However both of these could be great strong suits if we change our deficiencies in both categories.
Onto Fiji strengths.
This will be really lengthy if I go into every area in which we are great so I'll narrow it down to what I think is our greatest area.
I believe it is our diversity that sets us apart from any other chapter. Not in terms of ethnicity, but in terms of ideas and perspectives. Everyone in Fiji is so unique. There are social extroverts, brothers involved in every area of campus, video gamers, musicians, and many more. All of these different perspectives combine into the most unique fraternity on campus. I think this diversity leads not to a downfall, but a true advantage in the Greek community. Becoming stagnant is a true fear in Greek life. I think this is very likely if your chapter has similar perspectives and ideas. This is why Fiji is so great. We always have new ideas and perspectives to contribute to the overall greatness that is the Feej. This causes our values to be continually checked and improved never allowing our chapter to grow contempt in our ways but to always be striving for excellence. I believe this comes primarily from recruitment. Every brother looks for potentials who embody our values. However, every brother has different values they cherish more than others. So this leads to bringing potentials around who all excel in different areas of Fiji. Our diversity is also a strength in our community because we have brothers who can relate to every chapter and person on campus. This is great for recruitment and trying to foster a unified Greek community.
I think that cabinet is really starting to address our weaknesses and they are doing a great job in fostering a unified Fiji front. However, other than recruitment, I feel like our committee chairs are lacking mostly from poor organization skills. I do think that cabinet will help them grow and really utilize our resources to make Fiji the best that it can be.
Signing off.
Coz
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Under the Microscope ( extra blog )
To the naked eye many things go unseen. Whether cells, atoms, electrons, nuerons, protons, ultra-violet light, ext, ext, all of these remain overlooked. Not to mention that these microscopic "anomalies" are fundamental aspects of normal life. These things exists everywhere whether we acknowledge them or not. (I think this brings up a good point that people notice only what they want to notice and choose to ignore or overlook the other aspects.) Without certain equipment these remain invisible, but once something like a microscope is used it is basically impossible to ignore what is in front of your eyes.
I believe this is a perfect metaphor for the greek community. There are many aspects that match up exquisitely.
First of all, in a broad general view of greek life, a lot of things go unseen. Greek life for most people are like cells and atoms. Everything about fraternal community would be unknown if not for magnifying certain aspects. Everything about greek life are "fundamental" to its identity much like atoms are fundamental in life. These aspects make up the greek community in its entirety whether they are acknowledged or not. However, once certain aspects were exposed thats now all people can see. Of course I am talking about alcohol, hazing, wild sex,..... basically anything negative has been put on a slide and is now under examination. The problem with this scrutinization is the microscope has been focused too much. Now other aspects of fraternal life are being kept under the radar (service to name one). And now with the magnifying lens being dialed in so far its hard to retract.
With so much focus on the negatives, how are we as a community supposed to dial back the lens of the outside world? That is the question I want to be posed because I am sick of this microscope.
Another thing that has been bothering me is how the lens is only focused on the greek community when the college community is basically doing the same thing.
But, since there isn't a magnifying lens (i.e. greek tv shows or movies) on "regular" college life, these things sneak their way past observers. Everyone one in college "rages." Almost everyone has sex. But if you ask who the drinkers and "partiers" are Fraternal life is the number one answer. How is that fair especially since the lens is focused on the rowdy fraternities and not the ones that are benefiting Ohio State community... I have no idea.. This has just been on my mind lately and I wanted to find out and discuss this issue.
Signing out,
Coz
I believe this is a perfect metaphor for the greek community. There are many aspects that match up exquisitely.
First of all, in a broad general view of greek life, a lot of things go unseen. Greek life for most people are like cells and atoms. Everything about fraternal community would be unknown if not for magnifying certain aspects. Everything about greek life are "fundamental" to its identity much like atoms are fundamental in life. These aspects make up the greek community in its entirety whether they are acknowledged or not. However, once certain aspects were exposed thats now all people can see. Of course I am talking about alcohol, hazing, wild sex,..... basically anything negative has been put on a slide and is now under examination. The problem with this scrutinization is the microscope has been focused too much. Now other aspects of fraternal life are being kept under the radar (service to name one). And now with the magnifying lens being dialed in so far its hard to retract.
With so much focus on the negatives, how are we as a community supposed to dial back the lens of the outside world? That is the question I want to be posed because I am sick of this microscope.
Another thing that has been bothering me is how the lens is only focused on the greek community when the college community is basically doing the same thing.
But, since there isn't a magnifying lens (i.e. greek tv shows or movies) on "regular" college life, these things sneak their way past observers. Everyone one in college "rages." Almost everyone has sex. But if you ask who the drinkers and "partiers" are Fraternal life is the number one answer. How is that fair especially since the lens is focused on the rowdy fraternities and not the ones that are benefiting Ohio State community... I have no idea.. This has just been on my mind lately and I wanted to find out and discuss this issue.
Signing out,
Coz
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Rivalry Run: A Community Based Around Service
One of the most profound acts of community service I have ever been a part of is Rivalry Run. Not just for what I helped give to the Stephanie Spielman Fund, but also what it gave back and taught to me.
First of all, I have never been part of such a strong group effort to contribute to society. Everyone of my brothers helped contribute in some way to this goal of raising money for breast cancer. Now I will admit in the scheme of things I really didn't do that much. All I did was coordinate schedules with Andrew Garcia. We got together and used the money that was given to me for printing by the Fisher College of Business and printed off letters for all of our graduate brothers. Then we found a time that worked with most of our chapter and had a group of about 15 or so brothers sign, seal, and stamp the letters to be sent off in the mail. I have never seen a group work so efficiently to accomplish a goal in such a short period of time. It taught me a lot about how a small group can really accomplish so much if they are all driven by a common goal and excited to make a difference. In two sessions of about 20 minutes each we got letters sent to all of our graduate brothers which is over 700.
Another thing Rivalry Run taught me is how beneficial our chapter can be when it is energetic. Coming from a crazy spring into an intense RR fall, all of our brothers accomplished so much. It goes to show how much we are lacking when we are apathetic (i.e. in the worst of all seasons.... winter). Our chapter can be contributing, not only to itself, but to the community as a whole if we just pushed ourselves all year around. It actually blows my mind thinking of all that we could accomplish. WE want to be the best chapter on campus, I believe keeping people energetic is definitely the way to do this. Yes I know... quite difficult but I'm sure that we can find a way :).
All in all I have found the need to do more community service, even if it is something small. Why waste free time playing smash when I could be out making a difference.
Coz
First of all, I have never been part of such a strong group effort to contribute to society. Everyone of my brothers helped contribute in some way to this goal of raising money for breast cancer. Now I will admit in the scheme of things I really didn't do that much. All I did was coordinate schedules with Andrew Garcia. We got together and used the money that was given to me for printing by the Fisher College of Business and printed off letters for all of our graduate brothers. Then we found a time that worked with most of our chapter and had a group of about 15 or so brothers sign, seal, and stamp the letters to be sent off in the mail. I have never seen a group work so efficiently to accomplish a goal in such a short period of time. It taught me a lot about how a small group can really accomplish so much if they are all driven by a common goal and excited to make a difference. In two sessions of about 20 minutes each we got letters sent to all of our graduate brothers which is over 700.
Another thing Rivalry Run taught me is how beneficial our chapter can be when it is energetic. Coming from a crazy spring into an intense RR fall, all of our brothers accomplished so much. It goes to show how much we are lacking when we are apathetic (i.e. in the worst of all seasons.... winter). Our chapter can be contributing, not only to itself, but to the community as a whole if we just pushed ourselves all year around. It actually blows my mind thinking of all that we could accomplish. WE want to be the best chapter on campus, I believe keeping people energetic is definitely the way to do this. Yes I know... quite difficult but I'm sure that we can find a way :).
All in all I have found the need to do more community service, even if it is something small. Why waste free time playing smash when I could be out making a difference.
Coz
Monday, February 14, 2011
Fraternal Change and the Barriers it Faces
Everyone seems to agree that there is a negative stigma placed on the greek community. Actually I would go as far as saying its a greek identity. It is what the greek community thrives on. A majority of recruitment is based on this stigma because this is the only greek community is portrayed. When someone goes to college and decides to join a fraternity or sorority, their thought process normally involves fulfilling these stereotypes.
The first stereotype, which is probably the biggest, is "boozing hard." Greek life is overwhelmed with the idea that everyone in its community drinks all the time and that most of those drinks are probably bonged. Most fraternities recruit based on these facts. "Hey if you are interested in _________ come to our party this weekend should be a great time and tons of free alcohol." I was solicited at least 3 different occasions with that opening line. Even though this identity is, for the most part, true this is the stereotype that pisses me off the most. Don't worry little birds i'll tell you why. Is there any other place that is known for "partying hard?" Ya its called college. Does that make everyone in college who bashes fraternities for raging hypocrites..... I think so. Now I'm not saying that all of college drinks insane amounts but there is a definite majority. I don't know how many parties I have been at where someone finishes a beer bong or takes multiple shots and then mocks a fraternity for doing the same thing.
This annoyance does bring up a point I wanted to make. Once you acquire a stigma, it is way harder to break that stigma than it was obtaining it. All news or press that the greek community receives revolves around its defects and not its positives. A fraternity can do asmuch community service or activities that benefit others as it likes but the only mention it will get in a newspaper is about a wild party it threw where a kid died. Or how about a formal where there is a line to have sex in the bathroom. Every fraternity and sorority are not like this, but, as one of my brothers stated very well, one bad apple is enough to ruin the whole bunch.
After that little rant, another stereotype that plagues the greek community is hazing. Every movie or tv show that I have seen since the 1970s based around or featuring some aspect of fraternity life has involved hazing. Naked running, forced alcohol consumption, inflicting physical pain, and social abuse are just some of the "hazing" that apparently occurs within every fraternity. I remember when i had to run a naked mile while chugging beer......... It really bonded me to my chapter.... Just wanted to let everyone know :) (sarcasm people). Honestly, I do like the "intention" behind hazing. The classic point that it builds brotherhood. But hazing doesn't even accomplish this. There are plenty of other ways in which fraternities and sororities can achieve this goal.
The last thing that I believe hinders the fraternal movement is actually not related to stereotypes. It is the "individualistic" nature of the greek community. I'm not saying that everyone single person looks out for themselves, but chapters as wholes look out for "themselves." I think it stems from the fact that you join a chapter cause you think its the best chapter for yourself. This tends to form negative opinions of other chapters in your mind. So every chapter thinks its the best and it definitely shows in the greek community. This detracts from the community working as a whole and forming a uniting front. All that happens is bashing and that negates from the positive fraternal movement most fraternities are seeking.
Anyways its late I'm hitting the hay.
Cozzzzzzz
The first stereotype, which is probably the biggest, is "boozing hard." Greek life is overwhelmed with the idea that everyone in its community drinks all the time and that most of those drinks are probably bonged. Most fraternities recruit based on these facts. "Hey if you are interested in _________ come to our party this weekend should be a great time and tons of free alcohol." I was solicited at least 3 different occasions with that opening line. Even though this identity is, for the most part, true this is the stereotype that pisses me off the most. Don't worry little birds i'll tell you why. Is there any other place that is known for "partying hard?" Ya its called college. Does that make everyone in college who bashes fraternities for raging hypocrites..... I think so. Now I'm not saying that all of college drinks insane amounts but there is a definite majority. I don't know how many parties I have been at where someone finishes a beer bong or takes multiple shots and then mocks a fraternity for doing the same thing.
This annoyance does bring up a point I wanted to make. Once you acquire a stigma, it is way harder to break that stigma than it was obtaining it. All news or press that the greek community receives revolves around its defects and not its positives. A fraternity can do asmuch community service or activities that benefit others as it likes but the only mention it will get in a newspaper is about a wild party it threw where a kid died. Or how about a formal where there is a line to have sex in the bathroom. Every fraternity and sorority are not like this, but, as one of my brothers stated very well, one bad apple is enough to ruin the whole bunch.
After that little rant, another stereotype that plagues the greek community is hazing. Every movie or tv show that I have seen since the 1970s based around or featuring some aspect of fraternity life has involved hazing. Naked running, forced alcohol consumption, inflicting physical pain, and social abuse are just some of the "hazing" that apparently occurs within every fraternity. I remember when i had to run a naked mile while chugging beer......... It really bonded me to my chapter.... Just wanted to let everyone know :) (sarcasm people). Honestly, I do like the "intention" behind hazing. The classic point that it builds brotherhood. But hazing doesn't even accomplish this. There are plenty of other ways in which fraternities and sororities can achieve this goal.
The last thing that I believe hinders the fraternal movement is actually not related to stereotypes. It is the "individualistic" nature of the greek community. I'm not saying that everyone single person looks out for themselves, but chapters as wholes look out for "themselves." I think it stems from the fact that you join a chapter cause you think its the best chapter for yourself. This tends to form negative opinions of other chapters in your mind. So every chapter thinks its the best and it definitely shows in the greek community. This detracts from the community working as a whole and forming a uniting front. All that happens is bashing and that negates from the positive fraternal movement most fraternities are seeking.
Anyways its late I'm hitting the hay.
Cozzzzzzz
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