The Atlantic piece - "Fraternities Can Push Boys Toward a Terrible Sort of Masculinity—Or Help Them"

[ClassicRockerDad]

https://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2019/02/what-healthy-fraternity-looks-like/582112/

I thought this was a well written balanced piece on this positive aspects of Fraternities. This is much closer to my own experience. I thought I’l start a discussion about it.

[Hanna]

I’m not fan of that author, but I have thought for a long time that fraternities magnify their inputs. Whatever the members bring to the table, good or bad, you’ll see those attributes in the group to a degree that’s greater than the sum of its parts.

[damon30]

I didn’t really understand this article. Maybe because the LAC I attended didn’t have Greek life, but also because the article seemed to meander quite a bit.

Second semester, he joined a fraternity in search of that stereotypical environment. To his surprise, the fraternity’s alternative views on masculinity made him reconsider prioritizing toughness and hookups. “Yeah, it had partying and the social aspects, but it also had the idea that you can do all that stuff without having to put on a show. … “I wasn’t a ■■■■■■■■■ at heart …"

That’s nice. But, maybe, unnecessarily defensive? I wasn’t inclined to think poorly or fraternities and sororities before, and reading this article didn’t change that.

[ucbalumnus]

The piece is actually titled “What a Healthy Fraternity Looks Like”, and mostly describes the difference between what the author considers a good healthy fraternity and the stereotypically poorly behaved ones that make scandalous news regarding hazing, sexual misconduct, alcohol abuse, etc., along with why the author believes that some of that behavior exists.

[yourmomma]

The piece is actually titled “What a Healthy Fraternity Looks Like”, and mostly describes the difference between what the author considers a good healthy fraternity and the stereotypically poorly behaved ones that make scandalous news regarding hazing, sexual misconduct, alcohol abuse, etc., along with why the author believes that some of that behavior exists.

So lets take the “fraternity” out if it. If we shut down greek life altogether, where do all the hazing, sexual assaulter drunks go? Is it the organization or the people?

[MWolf]

I agree with @damon30, it’s more of a piece about “not all fraternities are like that”, than a piece about how a fraternity can be a positive influence. The article did not provide any reason as to why a kid should actually join a fraternity. I was expecting a story about how joining a fraternity helped a kid become a better person, how some fraternities go around teaching about how kids can treat each other better, or something like that. I’m sorry, but “Join a fraternity, not all of them encourage underage drinking and sexual assault”, is hardly a ringing endorsement.

[damon30]

.@MWolf - Agreeing with your agreement, and also that your last statement was my thought exactly.

[Cardinal_Fang]

I thought this was a well written balanced piece on this positive aspects of Fraternities.

Really? Because it read to me like a description of an atypical fraternity, probably because the author said it was an atypical fraternity. “It’s probably not coincidental that this chapter had fewer alcohol and sexual-assault issues—and was more vigilant about preventing and addressing them—than a typical fraternity.”

[PetraMC]

So lets take the “fraternity” out if it. If we shut down greek life altogether, where do all the hazing, sexual assaulter drunks go? Is it the organization or the people?

That’s a good question, but some organizations and hierarchies (not necessarily fraternities) can bring out the worst or the best in people to behave like they wouldn’t ordinarily. Like the Stanford Prison Experiment vs the fraternity highlighted in the piece.