I was in a fraternity in college. A fraternity that not only did not haze, but was founded against the hazing then present at Virginia Military Institute by the hand of another fraternity that hazed until you agreed to join. I was not hazed, nor did I haze during my time there. I'm writing largely to point out the problems with hazing and the mentality that believes that hazing is a necessary part of many groups' initiation rituals.
So, how would you define hazing?
This is the definition I've liked best over the years. I found it my Sigma Nu Candidate Marshall Training Manual and found it again on the web:
Make the following inquiries of each activity to determine whether or not it is hazing.
- Is alcohol involved?
- Will active/current members of the group refuse to participate with the new members and do exactly what they're being asked to do?
- Does the activity risk emotional or physical abuse?
- Is there risk of injury or a question of safety?
- Do you have any reservation describing the activity to your parents, to a professor or University official?
- Would you object to the activity being photographed for the school newspaper or filmed by the local TV news crew?
If the answer to any of these questions is "yes," the activity is probably hazing.
from
Death By Hazing Sigma Alpha Epsilon. 1988.
Who hazes?
Fraternities and sororities are two of the groups most often associated with hazing, but hazing is also performed by high school sports teams, high school clubs, and occasionally the military.
Why is hazing bad?
- Those hazed can come to physical and mental harm
- Creates resentment
- Factionalizes the group -- each group of initiates may bind together, but they won't bind with the others.
- Creates the impression that once one has "made it", the work is over
- Encourages things being done only when one is forced to do them
- Encourages conformity, sometimes to the point where you wind up with interchangeable components.
- Doesn't foster respect
- Most notably, the Alfred University hazing study turned up feelings about the event in those hazed similar to those that have suffered sexual harassment and even rape.
But if my fraternity/sorority/high school band/etc. doesn't haze, we'll lose cohesiveness and die!
First off, Sigma Nu doesn't haze. Several years ago, Sigma Nu celebrated being a national fraternity for 125 years. When I was an undergraduate, we worked together on things without complaint. If I had been hazed, would an upperclassman have felt comfortable coming to me needing to unburden about a sudden breakup? If I had hazed, would an underclassman have felt comfortable coming to me for advice on
starting a relationship? People don't like to expose their weaknesses to those that have hurt them.
Unity comes from doing things together -- not pounding on people. If you can't build unity without beating people into submission, you lack any leadership skills. In fact, you have something in common with the pointy haired boss. I felt tremendous kinship with my brothers due to projects like work weekend, the annual canoe trip, and studying together. Would I have joined had I been hazed? I seriously doubt it.
But they (pledges/initiates/etc.) need to prove that they're worthy!
Let me get this straight. You are willing to extend an offer of possible membership to people whose worthiness you doubt?
Hey, wait. The military needs boot camp to produce good soldiers.
I agree. There is a difficult line there, but there are two important things to note:
- The military needs conformity more than any civilian organization that performs hazing needs it. I doubt your average high school show choir, for instance, is going to have to take out a machine gun nest.
- There is a difference between military training and boot camp activities and things such as pinning. For instance, many military activities are designed to build endurance needed in a combat environment. However, pinning does not make the person more resistant to being poked with a pin. It doesn't even make them more resistant to torture.
For more information, consult these resources:
http://www.stophazing.org/ - StopHazing,
http://www.alfred.edu/news/html/hazing_study.html - The Alfred University Hazing Study,
http://www.hazinglaw.com/ - Information on anti-hazing laws.