PROS/CONS of a Fraternity

Parents Forum
381

<p><a href="http://www.epsilonzeta.org/about/frat_facts.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.epsilonzeta.org/about/frat_facts.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>Go to this website... it basically says that:</p>

<p>I) 85% Of Fortune 500 Executives Are Greek Alumni</p>

<p>II) 85% of U.S. Supreme Court Justices Since 1800 Are Greek Alumni</p>

<p>III) 71% of the members in Who’s Who are Greek Alumni</p>

<p>IV) 76% of the U.S. Congress has been Greek Alumni</p>

<p>V) All but 2 U.S. Presidents since 1825 have been Fraternity Alumni</p>

<p>VI) 63% of the U.S. Cabinet since 1900 has been Greek Alumni</p>

<p>I've seen similar statistics... these are staggering.
I am in a fraternity and love it. It's probably the best decision I have ever made. Also, I've heard a theory behind fraternity succes numbers...
The theory is that peolpe gain the ability to deal with a heirarchy at a young(er) age. I think there is something to that, but it is more hook-ups from alumni. Every time alumni and active members get together at my frat... internships are being thrown around all the time. It's pretty funny actually.</p>

382

<p>In answer to some "intelligent" rebuttals ...</p>

<p>... "3. Many of you are making incredibly ridiculous blanket statements to apply to entire Greek systems and it's coming from normally well articulated individuals. Unfourtunatley you're not in the systems now and unable to fully gage the problem (or lack thereof)."</p>

<p>Your argument would be valid if you pointed out the statements that are ridiculous rather than categorizing them as blanket statements. The argument that you have to be in the greek system to gage (sic) the problem is eminently dumb. Being a menber of one fraternity does not make you an expert on the entire greek system. Professing that your knowledge of the activities at one school extends to the entire college population is a stretch that defies intelligent reasoning. </p>

<p>..."This thread is filled with ignorant and disconnected adults using generalizations instead of their own expierence in current systems. This thread gets no further than any debate about "oh my god which ivy is the 5th best?". "</p>

<p>Who is disconnected and prone to generalizations? See above!</p>

<p>..."Xiggi, unless I am mistaken (and please correct me if I am) you attend Claremont Mckenna. This happens to be a college that has NO greek life. How can people trust the arguments of a person that has no firsthand experience with this group of people?"</p>

<p>Are you also assuming that I never leave the campus, that I was never able to see fraternities in action, that I do not have friends in other schools, or forgot to read? Why would an otherwise extremely limited first-hand experience -such as yours- become the admittance ticket to this discussion? This is not different from your question about my personal experience with drinking. Do you really need to drink alcohol - which you failed to asked me, btw- to discuss alcoholism? Think about it! </p>

<p>..."it offers meaningful experiences. i cant really put this into words, just trust me."</p>

<p>Exactly as I said in my first post in this thread, "This says it all". i cant really put this into words, just trust me. . This has been the entire line of defense of the pro-frat crowd: "I can't put it into words". </p>

<p>If we are to TRUST you, you ought to do a bit better. Pointing to verifiable examples should not be that hard for a crowd that has the highest GPA.</p>

<p>..." what would you rather be interested in hearing about, a frat that killed a pledge or frat that is raising money by hosting philanthropic events? you cant form an educated opinion about the greek system from what you hear."</p>

<p>Well, why don't you start telling us which philanthropic action that YOU DID since joining your frat? And then compare that with the amount of time you spent taking part in events that have been criticized by the ignoramus' crowd? </p>

<p>I rather stick to facts.</p>

383

<p>-How is being in a fraternity "buying your friends." Being a brother does not mean that everyone will like you, rather you have to prove it far and above paying your dues ( BTW, my housing, food, and dues are still less than what I was paying when I had my apartment in collegetown, and now I get so much more). There are a few people in my house that actually pay their dues but contribute no other way and actually have very few friends in the house - it is unfortunate but it is their own fault.</p>

<p>-I am not surprised how no one really even acknowledged the positive links that I posted, while everyone anti-fraternity forces everyone to accept that bad things that happen.</p>

384

<p>"Well, why don't you start telling us which philanthropic action that YOU DID since joining your frat? And then compare that with the amount of time you spent taking part in events that have been criticized by the ignoramus' crowd? "</p>

<p>my frat raised $22,000 for cancer research that went staright to ucirvine hospital, every penny. uci greek songfest has raised $60,000 for some ronald mcdonanld charity, i forgot what.</p>

<p>look loser, i dont know what your so bitter about. jealous or something? didint get a bid? whatever i dont care. you obviously dont have a clue what frat life is about, especially since all you realize are the stereotypes. so take a chill pill. leave the greeks alone, we're not going away.</p>

385

<p>MrTrojanman, thank you for your eloquent post that confirms with great clarity how well the stereotypes fit. </p>

<p>It is obvious that you are simply unable to put into words anything positive that YOU -MrTrojanman- did as a fraternity member.</p>

386

<p>The tone of this thread is getting increasingly argumentative. I am therefore closing this thread. - Moderator Skyhawk</p>