re: #102 oaktree

The Alpha Epsilon Pi Chapter at the university I went to was the “Jewish fraternity” on campus. Seriously.

Sigh. _Animal House_ is not to blame since it’s essentially a over-the-top satire of some of the silliness young men get into once free of their parents and in a location where groupthink can rule. I just wish so many of them wouldn’t take that movie as a primer and guide book about how they are supposed to act.
[end rant]

Apologies. Working as a fraternity volunteer for fifteen years makes this a subject that simply gets me wound up. Social fraternities (and their members) espouse all sort of positive values such as learning to be leaders and all you see in the media reports is the stupid, socially inept, irresponsible, (and sometimes dangerous) stunts and events they attempt to pull off. They’re not all bad, but the reputation is such now that the few “bad apples” get the publicity and the default perception is that fraternity membership is a bunch of drunk, spoiled, rich brats.

The media tends to cover stuff that fits the ‘Animal House’ meme.

I know not all Greek organisations are evil. The princeton frats seem a bit evil.
The big debate at princeton is whether the uni should recognise them or not. As someone involved in the greek system, what do you think? Would it help or not? Some people are claiming that the princeton culture is such that recognition wouldn’t help.