Hazing Essay Research Paper When most people

Hazing Essay, Research Paper

When most people hear the term .hazing. it conjures up images of fraternities. In

reality however, hazing occurs in many arenas including fraternities, sororities, the military,

athletic teams, and student organizations at both high school and college levels. In fact,

hazing incidents are dramatically different from the humorous images many people associate

with the term. Hazing, by definition is any action or situation which does not contribute to

the positive development of a person by causing mental or physical discomfort, or

embarrassment of any kind. It may also be defined as an action or situation that

intentionally or unintentionally endangers a person.s life for any reason. Author of several

books on hazing, Hank Nuwer, said that .hazing has been associated with more than fifty

deaths in college fraternities and countless more physical injuries including paralysis, not to

mention the devastating emotional effects that can result for so many young men and

women..(4) Responsibility is a major issue concerning hazing, and when danger is not

present, it should not be considered hazing.

Fitting in at college is a big deal, especially for freshman. The most popular way to

fit in, meet a lot of new people, and to become involved with new surroundings is to join a

sorority or fraternity. A person thinking of joining one of these organizations should ask

themselves one important question; how far should they go. Should this person be forced

to put up with paddling or striking, marking or branding, restricting class attendance, or

being deprived of proper amounts of sleep needed to maintain daily life. When a student

accepts a bid, he or she begins pledging to that particular fraternity or sorority. The pledge

period could last anywhere from a few weeks to several months. Fraternity pledge periods

are usually more physically demanding than that of a sorority. Once pledging is completed,

the person becomes a member of that particular fraternity or sorority.

The fall semester is pledge period on almost every American college campus.

Students are striving to fit in by doing things such as drinking unreasonable amounts of

alcohol, and attending secret meetings which interfere with their classes and other aspects of

their social life. Hazing days occur mostly during hell week. Hazing happens everywhere,

and somewhere something is bound to go wrong whether it be serious mental or physical

injury or even death in some cases. Some pledges quit during hell week mainly because

they either come to their senses and start to understand that being a member of a Greek

organization is not the only way to fit in especially if it could harm their lives. Others just

realize that they do not have to buy their friends. The ones who do stay usually live their

lives believing in the mystic bond of brotherhood or sisterhood. .Hazing is very educational

about human nature,. one rush chairman stated. .The nicest, politest, most churchgoing

people turn out to be so mean and angry. And cruel if you give them a little power..

In the mind of most people, the term cult refers to something like the images of the

burning of David Koresh.s Branch Dividian settlement and the mass suicide of Jim Jones.s

Peoples Temple devotees. The fact is that most people do not realize that many students,

faculty members, and administrators regularly confront, and even participate in cult-like

behavior. The numerous fraternity and sorority chapters that engage in abusive hazing

practices on college campuses around the United States are the most prevalent cults among

American society. Upon examination of the cult-like aspects of hazing in Greek

organizations, a person may be able to understand why the practice is so difficult to stamp

out. It also reinforces the urgent need to find new strategies to prevent the pledging-related

injuries and deaths that have occurred for decades, despite strong efforts to eradicate them.

One of the latest attempts to discourage hazing is the Massachusetts Institute of

Technology.s decision to revoke the diploma of a graduate who was accused of serving

alcohol to a freshman pledge at an event. The pledge later died of alcohol poisoning. If one

can recognize that the abnormal behaviors found in many Greek organizations are very

similar to, and as deeply rooted as the behaviors found in cults, they will take the first step

towards developing a broader, more systematic approach to the problem of hazing.

The word hazing seems so harmless. The root of the word is often used to describe

a scene that is somewhat obscured by a mist or fog, or perhaps an unsure frame of mind.

Victimization is the abuse of power and control that underpins hazing and it needs to come

to an end. The victimization that fuels hazing also contributes to the sexism and racism that

leads to harassment, violence, and oppression in society today. The devastation and

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