2008 Woodie Awards
Greek Life should respect individuality
Sam Koch '11
Issue date: 10/10/07 Section: Opinion
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Ralph Waldo Emerson once wrote that "whoso would be a man must be a nonconformist." A strong advocate of developing a sense of self, Emerson never believed that truth or greatness could be discovered in the throngs of the masses or the approval of peers. Instead, he merely suggested to "trust thyself"-asserting that "nothing is at last sacred but the integrity of your own mind."
In talking with a friend who recently joined a fraternity, however, I found that the spirit of Emerson seems to have waned since those words were written in his famous essay, "Self-Reliance." I understand well that the world in which we live differs greatly from the one in which Emerson wrote. He himself would probably be either astounded by or disgusted at the advances society has made-or perhaps a little bit of both.
We live in a world where social networking and success seem to go hand in hand-a fact that many point to when arguing that groups like fraternities and sororities are a beneficial part of college life.
It's true that about 25 percent of all Fortune 500 CEOs were once members of college fraternities; so too were about half of U.S. presidents, 42 percent of senators, and a third of U.S. congressmen.
CEOs like Wachovia's G. Kennedy Thompson have stated that membership in a fraternity gave them "the opportunity to meet people from different backgrounds and places," allowing for the creation of bonds and connections that lasted well beyond their years in college.
While fraternities and sororities may indeed expose its members to people of various cultures, beliefs, and races, it is important to note that these differences do not necessarily lead to the acceptance of members' personalities.
In 1955, psychologist Solomon Asch developed a theory that humans tend to seek conformity under any circumstance-even when what the group said was clearly wrong.
More recent studies have also supported this theory and have examined more minutely the individual rates of conformity amongst different groups of individuals.
In talking with a friend who recently joined a fraternity, however, I found that the spirit of Emerson seems to have waned since those words were written in his famous essay, "Self-Reliance." I understand well that the world in which we live differs greatly from the one in which Emerson wrote. He himself would probably be either astounded by or disgusted at the advances society has made-or perhaps a little bit of both.
We live in a world where social networking and success seem to go hand in hand-a fact that many point to when arguing that groups like fraternities and sororities are a beneficial part of college life.
It's true that about 25 percent of all Fortune 500 CEOs were once members of college fraternities; so too were about half of U.S. presidents, 42 percent of senators, and a third of U.S. congressmen.
CEOs like Wachovia's G. Kennedy Thompson have stated that membership in a fraternity gave them "the opportunity to meet people from different backgrounds and places," allowing for the creation of bonds and connections that lasted well beyond their years in college.
While fraternities and sororities may indeed expose its members to people of various cultures, beliefs, and races, it is important to note that these differences do not necessarily lead to the acceptance of members' personalities.
In 1955, psychologist Solomon Asch developed a theory that humans tend to seek conformity under any circumstance-even when what the group said was clearly wrong.
More recent studies have also supported this theory and have examined more minutely the individual rates of conformity amongst different groups of individuals.
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