He also adds that the prospects of future gender or racial integration are low. He describes the top Greek houses as the ones who had produced the wealthiest and most influential alumni, and by his words, they are also the most homogeneous groups. Most of their members answer to the same characteristics – they are white, attractive, Christian, heterosexual girls and boys who come from middle- to upper-class families. Also, those boys and girls all behave in specific manners, traditional for their respective genders. Members of the so-called 'second-tier' Greek organizations are not as wealthy or influential as the Greeks from the 'first-tier' Greek organizations and they are also more heterogeneous in terms of ethnicity and behavior ( according …show more content…
For the ones who aspire to greatness, being in any Greek organization is better than being in none. Non-Greeks are often referred to as “the GDIs”, an abbreviation that stands for “Goddamn Independents” - a term that is meant to express a feeling of superiority on the part of Greeks and that is meant to be, in the best case, unflattering. What DeSantis notes with curiosity, however, is the fact that a stratification within the stratification exists – namely, that Greeks classify themselves not only as better than non-Greeks, but also better than all others in the Greek-Letter system. (ibid.) In any case, all Greeks are of the opinion that while competition remains between fraternities, mutual respect exists and it is “far better to have membership in a different fraternity than none at all” (Groff 2009:6). On the question of gender, it is common knowledge that fraternities are only for male students, and sororities are their female counterparts. Of course, cases of mixed Greek houses do exist, such as..., but they are rare cases that only confirm the rule
I myself am from a very “awkward” dichotomy. The reason for that is that I grew up in Oak Cliff Texas, a low socioeconomic neighborhood with the a very criminal atmosphere. However, my father was able to obtain upward mobility through his construction business that he built, therefore I have always been financially well off. Since I grew up in Oak Cliff and attended an inner city public high school my classmates were mostly of low socioeconomic background and well, the nature of their behavior is very much like mine. Now when I attended A&M I decided to join a fraternity. There is “Latino” fraternities available for students to join on campus but I joined one that is recognized by the IFC (Intra Fraternity Council). This is one of the barriers amongst universities’ Greek life systems themselves. As described in the book, Greek life systems generate a barrier where students of low socioeconomic status find it harder to join. The fraternities and sororities that are recognized by the “IFC” are those that are categorized by the student body as “cool or better” organizations. Those that aren’t recognized by the IFC are seen as the “poor or gay” organizations. Those fraternities that are recognized by the IFC on campus as far as I know are all white. Latino or Black fraternities and sororities aren’t recognized by the IFC, at least at A&M. I am the only Minority in the fraternity that I am apart of, and I sometimes recognize that I am different in different aspects than most of the members and can feel the “isolation” that is described in the book. Once my fraternity was having an event and everyone was required to pitch in 30$ towards supplies for it, and the way that the money is gathered is through a mobile application where people can pay with their credit cards. I asked one of my fraternity brothers is I could just pay him cash and he
While reading Pledged: The Secret Life of Sororities, I learned more about the inner workings of Greek Life. I learned that the odds of me finding a sorority are so slim due to my independent and different personality. While I am not good at sticking up for myself, something this book has made me feel is crucial to blend in and conform to an ideal to fit into a sorority, I am too opinionated. There are not many sororities (at least shown in Pledged) that welcome girls who are different, preferring to stay similar. For example, each pledge class would soon like identical within a few months of pledging. Another thing I learned about is the careful planning and manipulation that occurs throughout sororities,
Greek organizations, such as, fraternities and sororities have been a part of the college experience for centuries. We pride ourselves in brotherly and sisterly love, academic success, and helping others. There are countless stereotypes and myths that surround the “Greek life” name. Just some myths include: all Greeks haze their members, they only care about physical looks not personalities, and they go to college just to party and get drunk. Kappa Delta Sorority upholds none of these stereotypes. We have a strong no haze policy. Hazing is defined as an activity or situation that can cause emotional, mental, or physical discomfort. If a member is caught hazing or if a new member is caught allowing herself to be hazed, there will be major consequences, such as, national probation or deferral of initiation. Kappa Delta also does not look at physical appearance as the only quality for possible new members. We look at personality and qualifications that can benefit our sorority; instead of having a group of women that are pretty and popular, we like to have women with strong morals, work ethic, and have the willingness to love each and every member of Kappa Delta. Kappa Delta Sorority is like no other fraternity or sorority on campus; we do not waste our time with partying and drinking. We pride ourselves in our historical background, philanthropies, and our values. I know Kappa Delta is the best sorority not only on MTSU campus but in the whole country.
Do people really understand the secrets behind the Greek community? There are many pressures girls face that the public is not familiar with that are specifically evident in sororities. Alexandra Robbins, the author of the book Pledged: The Secret Lives of Sororities, went undercover and followed four different girls during their experiences within the Greek system. Although there are many struggles girls can face in sororities, the five most prevalent type of pressures include: having a perfect body image, substance abuse, stress, silence, and hazing.
The Greek system in the north proves to be different than the south. There is no such thing as a ?black? or ?white? fraternity in the north. In the north you will find many African Americans and other minor...
Additionally, analyzing the overall structure of the Greek System will allow me to understand why students feel inclined to become a member of these organizations, while others don’t. In order to comprehend this student subculture, however, it is imperative to define what the Greek System really is and what core values they are based on. The Greek System, composed of different fraternity and sorority communities, are organizations that focus on academic, social, and professional support.... ... middle of paper ... ...
"Unhandled Exception." Ancient Greece - History, Mythology, Art, War, Culture, Society, and Architecture. 2008. Web. 27 Feb. 2011. .
"Some have argued that fraternities are places where rape is likely to occur on college campuses and that the students most likely to accept rape mouths and be more sexually aggressive are more likely to live in fraternities and sororities, consume higher doses of alcohol and drugs, and place higher value on social life at college." according to the article "Fraternities and Collegiate Rape Culture: Why Are Some Fraternities More Dangerous places for Women?" written by A. Ayres Boswell and Joan Z. Spade. The article ...
The cycle of power, deceit and achievement created by the families in the first generation of Greek
History today recalls the Greek traditions starting from the second millennium B.C to date and not just during the Archaic and the Classical periods. The primary aim of history is to provide us with a broad comprehension of the principles that governed the Greek societies (Carey, 2017). Hegemony together with Greek historians provides a comprehensible examination of the fundamental cultural and political elements which pervades Xenophon, Thucydides, Ephorus, and Herodotus. Hegemony mainly explains the master plan.
Nardo, Don. The Ancient Greeks at Home and at Work. 1st ed. San Diego, CA: Lucent, 2004. Print.
...an turn a leader that tales are told of into someone who struggles to adapt to what most Greeks would find to be perfect.
The thing the Greeks are best known for, is their gods, and stories about them. The stories explained how things became. For instance, one story said that before the earth was made, there was a fight between a god, and a giant. The god killed the giant, and the parts of the giant became the earth. His teeth became the rocks, and his hair became the grass. His hands and feet became mountains, and his toes and fingers became trees.
Severtis, Jr., Ronald E., and C. AndrÉ Christie-Mizell. "Greek-Letter Membership And College Graduation: Does Race Matter?." Journal Of Sociology & Social Welfare 34.3 (2007): 95-117. Academic Search Elite. Web. 14 Nov. 2013.
Greece receives a low score of 35 for IDV. Greece is a collectivist society, which means that in Greece, family members (incl...