I don’t know exactly what it is about the ABC Family show “Greek” that completely enthralls me, but last summer I uncharacteristically became victim to an obsession with its surprisingly compelling content. For a television series encompassing a plot about sorority and fraternity life — a topic I have feverishly contested for years — “Greek” enraptured me far too quickly.
Perhaps it is the plethora of scandalous sex affairs or the excessive underage drinking that make the experience comparable to watching a tabloid unfold for an hour every week. Or, maybe it’s that the “dramatized” Greek scenarios strike a disturbingly accurate note.
When the show was released last year, a surge of protests surfaced from Greek organizations around the country, claiming that its portrayal of sororities and fraternities contributed to the defacement of their groups’ reputations. While these concerns may have been legitimate, they also may have been fueled by an underlying apprehension that the show’s illuminating substance hit a little too close to home.
It was never the stereotype of destructive lifestyles that bothered me about sororities and fraternities, however, but rather the exclusivity of it all.
With recruitment, or “rush,” underway at Pepperdine this week, I can’t help but notice the waves of students donning shirts from various Greek organizations — symbols that corner them into compact pigeonholes of how they are expected to be.
As a female college student, I understand why someone would want to rush a sorority. If allowed in, she would be part of a “sisterhood” — a bond inconceivable to anyone outside the Greek system. Herein lies the problem.
Not everyone gets into his or her Greek organization of choice, and some don’t get in at all. As a university that perpetuates the enforcement of Christian values, is such an elitist and discriminatory process truly fitting with Pepperdine’s mission?
Don’t get me wrong — I realize there are positive facets of Greek life that do comply with Pepperdine’s mission to prepare students “for lives of purpose, service and leadership,” such as philanthropy involvement and the establishment of meaningful personal relationships. I also readily acknowledge that many students engross themselves in such organizations specifically for these earnest motivations.
Yet, the bottom line is that sororities and fraternities advocate a manifest distinction between those who fit in and those who do not.
While visiting a friend who is a member of a sorority several days ago, I was sworn to confidentiality about our meeting to avoid accusations that she was attempting to recruit me. It was then that I realized the absurdities and secrecies underlying the Greek system were directly affecting my own college experience.
During my tour of Pepperdine as a prospective student, the guide explained that, while sororities and fraternities do exist on campus, they do not represent the typical Greek genre. Two and a half years later, I find myself questioning this assessment.
What about Pepperdine’s Greek system is so radically different from those of other, particularly public, universities? Is it merely that Pepperdine does not facilitate housing specified for such groups? If so, we need to reevaluate our façade of being an institution dedicated to enforcing moral and personal values.
I realize I am not saying anything overly profound in this argument. We’ve heard it time and time again — Greek life is exclusive and upholds a platform of elitism amidst what should be an evenly balanced student body. Yet, I hope to encourage a more active role among students to advocate Pepperdine as a place of haven from such judgments.
Sororities and fraternities are longstanding societies that have meshed into the epitome of college life. I do not have the capability of eradicating them, nor am I saying anyone should. But, as rush sweeps the Pepperdine community, students need to be more aware of its emotional consequences.
While the televised version of “Greek” may generate disquiet about the morally disputable aspects of Greek life, there is a concern to be addressed in its more immediate presence on Pepperdine’s campus. If we are to embody the types of students enumerated in Pepperdine’s mission statement, we must find a delicate balance between fitting in and respecting the differences of our peers.
09-11-2008