What is your standpoint about fraternities/sororities, do they pay for friends or do they build character?

Question

I am part of a Professional Business Fraternity and I find that people always seem to say, "Well, you pay to have friends". I found that it actually made me a stronger person. What kind of feedback can you give me on this issue? I'd like to see both points of view please. I wan't to know how to explain to people different views of being part of something like this.

Answer 1

I personally think that Fraternities and Sororities do the same thing that school does and that is prepare the young student for life in a corporation. I think the school itself teaches workers how to sit in one seat for long periods of time and behave in an orderly fashion so 1 manager/teacher can run things easily.

I think frats et al, teach young students how to behave socially when climbing the corporate ladder. I think the young leaders of tomorrow form bonds and learn secrets about the others that will play out later in life in board rooms and private business dinners, etc.

Personally, I think the whole school/collegiate experience is due for a major overhaul, and will get one in the next 10 years or so. I will be interested to see what survives in the next generation.

Peace!

Answer 2

The whole "paying for friends" mantra is ridiculous. Dues pay for the activities in which members participate. Just like you would pay to go out with your friends, dues are exactly that, but usually pay for more extravagant and entertaining events than what you can do with just a group of friends.

Fraternity and sorority membership does make better people. Yes, there are those that make a bad name for the whole community, but the good almost always outweighs the not-so-good.

Answer 3

Calling a fraternity a "legallized gang" makes you and your group of best friends a legalized gang. So sorry but you are wrong.

They do build character and help with more responsibility. Now being a brother and growing through education I am not as shy and I am more responsible and know how to run events like community service and philanthropy.

I was always a leader in my other clubs and campus activities but now I am more of a leader around my house.
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Now let me explain to you why i joined a fraternity!

I join to meet new people and make new friends. Before the fraternity I was involved with 3 major clubs on my college campus and one I help start from scratch, so my reason was not that i didn't have any friends, I wanted more. Also the opprotunities of brotherhood and business connections. I would be lying if the social scene didn't cross my mind as well. Academics were a big part alot of my brothers are economic majors like myself and I can ask them for help when ever. Finally I love the community service, I am my fraternities community service chair.

My college allows you to pledge as a sophmore so this is away to make sure you don't rely on a fraternity for friends. My fraternity doesn't keep me from hanging with my friends i made before them as some will say they do.

I picked this house simply cause the great community serivice I heard of. Also I met some of the brothers my freshman year. Also my friends from freshman year all liked this fraternity so that is why we decided to rush this one.

Answer 4

I went to college in the 1960s. I considered joining a fraternity, but the brotherhood I was most interested in was somewhat "weak" on my campus (but strong nationally). I did not join. Over the years, I found that I missed the opportunity to have a ready-made network of social & business contacts. I lived in five different States over my 30 year career. Being a member of a fraternity would have been a ready-made short cut in my efforts to establish myself in my new town. I'm something of a lone wolf, so that would have been particularly helpful to me. In fact, the older I get, the more I regret not doing it.

Keep your membership. Reconnect everywhere you move to. After college, go to the conferences. In your work, seek out fraturnity members as mentors. You are not buying friends. You ARE nourishing part of a support network that can last through your lifetime.

p.s.: Consider joining a social faturnity, too.

Answer 5

I think fraternities and sororities are a way of networking. They make you part of a group that is there for each other and does favors for each other. Not a bad thing.

Answer 6

they are nothing but a legalized gang. You don't need to pay for a true friend and they certainly don't build character.