2008 Woodie Awards
So you don't like the Greeks?
Guest Column
Zachary Krensky
Issue date: 10/23/07 Section: Opinions
Ask any student on our campus what their feeling is toward fraternities and sororities and the response will likely be negative. Continue the dialogue and you may discover it is because "Greeks" are meatheads who only like to party, or, that they are (expletive deleted) jerks. Sorority girls are even the subject of jokes when in reality no one really knows what goes on there except for the girls.
This preconceived notion (a belief held beforehand without evidence) is detrimental to the many positive functions of the fraternities here such as Sigma Nu's "Sigma Snooze" event, which raises money and awareness for the Christopher Reeves Foundation.
If you asked this person if they had ever been to the home of a Greek, or had one over to theirs, and they reply "no" then their logic is severely flawed. How can a person have a legitimate opinion when lacking crucial experience like an intimate encounter with a Greek? Note that this technique can also be used when combating a racist white person's understanding of black people.
There are not enough positive messages out there regarding the greeks and this is not surprising, being that Greeks have the utmost worst to say about fellow Greeks. This hatred arises from Greeks with one set of letters disrespecting a greek with a separate set. And the television show Greek does illustrate the playful side of greek life, but it is a show on the Disney network and therefore must be taken with a grain of salt.
Furthermore, this imaginary student in question may differ strongly in their idea of music and performance majors. Believing music majors are pure, wonderful, friendly and kind people because they create and study music-something very difficult to do-sounds all right, but it does not stand the test of logic. Clearly, not every musician is open-minded. From personal experience I have made a great friendship of an opera pianist and I have met elitist jazz musicians who are borderline antisocial to outsiders. But, music majors do not carry the same stigma as someone wearing embroidered Greek letters in the Caf. Maybe it's because I'm wrong and musicians actually are more altruistic than Greeks, or it may be because you cannot argue with music when it sounds beautiful and you think the person performing it must be friendly, but not so much.
Now the reason Greeks and music majors are compared here is because I cannot think of another group that respects Greek life less than musicians and there is no other group that mocks musicians more than the Greeks. However, let's remember there is no right or wrong group of people here, for the point is everyone is capable of rudeness.
Let's make this part clear, before we go ahead and judge others, let's remember: jerks can be found in all majors and student organizations, even clergy. Believe it or not there really isn't a standard any group out there follows that states "no jerk behavior allowed." I insist on leaving preconceived notions behind when navigating the world of human relations.
And finally, be cognizant when assuming someone is not kind because the group they have felt like belonging to.
This preconceived notion (a belief held beforehand without evidence) is detrimental to the many positive functions of the fraternities here such as Sigma Nu's "Sigma Snooze" event, which raises money and awareness for the Christopher Reeves Foundation.
If you asked this person if they had ever been to the home of a Greek, or had one over to theirs, and they reply "no" then their logic is severely flawed. How can a person have a legitimate opinion when lacking crucial experience like an intimate encounter with a Greek? Note that this technique can also be used when combating a racist white person's understanding of black people.
There are not enough positive messages out there regarding the greeks and this is not surprising, being that Greeks have the utmost worst to say about fellow Greeks. This hatred arises from Greeks with one set of letters disrespecting a greek with a separate set. And the television show Greek does illustrate the playful side of greek life, but it is a show on the Disney network and therefore must be taken with a grain of salt.
Furthermore, this imaginary student in question may differ strongly in their idea of music and performance majors. Believing music majors are pure, wonderful, friendly and kind people because they create and study music-something very difficult to do-sounds all right, but it does not stand the test of logic. Clearly, not every musician is open-minded. From personal experience I have made a great friendship of an opera pianist and I have met elitist jazz musicians who are borderline antisocial to outsiders. But, music majors do not carry the same stigma as someone wearing embroidered Greek letters in the Caf. Maybe it's because I'm wrong and musicians actually are more altruistic than Greeks, or it may be because you cannot argue with music when it sounds beautiful and you think the person performing it must be friendly, but not so much.
Now the reason Greeks and music majors are compared here is because I cannot think of another group that respects Greek life less than musicians and there is no other group that mocks musicians more than the Greeks. However, let's remember there is no right or wrong group of people here, for the point is everyone is capable of rudeness.
Let's make this part clear, before we go ahead and judge others, let's remember: jerks can be found in all majors and student organizations, even clergy. Believe it or not there really isn't a standard any group out there follows that states "no jerk behavior allowed." I insist on leaving preconceived notions behind when navigating the world of human relations.
And finally, be cognizant when assuming someone is not kind because the group they have felt like belonging to.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
jon dale
posted 10/28/07 @ 2:35 PM EST
"elitist jazz musicians who are borderline antisocial to outsiders."
what a wonderful quote from some one who has no idea what he is even talking about. (Continued…)
Post a Comment