With college being back in session, it may be a bit different now where you are, but this doesn’t mean that you can’t give yourself permission to go off the rails on occasion. As a result, one of the biggest draws for people starting college is a fraternity. Guys like the idea of fraternities because of a certain tribal mentality, but if you are wondering if you should join one, we can say that, unequivocally, the answer is no. But why is this?
It Could Land You in Trouble With the Law
Unless you’re rich or have criminal defense attorneys with decades of experience at your beck and call, it’s very likely that, legally, you may be thrown under the bus. The very act of hazing encourages criminal acts and is one of the most toxic environments that any freshman can encounter. When you find yourself branded a criminal, this could impact you, your family, and your future.
It Encourages Alcoholism
We’ve all heard the stories about people drinking until they are blacking out. And while the tide is turning when it comes to youth and alcohol, it’s amazing just how much alcohol flows through any fraternity. Not only this, but it’s amazing how revered alcoholism is. It’s almost that you are not viewed as a man unless you have a drink. There is also the common excuse that you cannot be an alcoholic if you are in college. If you are in a fraternity, it’s very likely you’ll end up being an alcoholic.
It May Encourage Lack of Tolerance
We live in the era of George Floyd and Black Lives Matter, but there are still so many individuals that are clinging to the politics and old-fashioned epithets that revolve around casual judgement. And even with social media giving everybody a platform, there is a huge amount of judgement across the world, and fraternities in narrow-minded corners of the world can still find themselves party to extreme cases of judgement. Judgement on sexual orientation is still another problem that can be endemic in fraternities. Statistically, it’s likely one member of any fraternity is homosexual and slurs tossed around in this manner can be a continuation of locker room culture. This doesn’t make it acceptable or even a joke.
It Is Not the True Idea of Brotherhood
If you really want to find a group of individuals that treat you like an equal you can find numerous study groups and movements on campus that can be a far more inclusive approach to brotherhood or sisterhood and everybody in between. A fraternity is such a large part of individuals that it cannot help promote a tribal approach to socializing. And in the age of black lives matter, #MeToo, and everything that we’ve learned as a result of the pandemic and Trump-era politics that we cannot contribute to any form of tribalism. The fraternity is a group of individuals that it can be argued is the breeding ground for what is wrong with America today. Let’s all learn a lesson and stay away from the frat pack.
