Yeah, I'm Canadian so there isn't much of a system here as well. The whole idea of joining a socially-engineered group of "friends" with whom I am going to spend almost all of my time is just weird to me.

I have to admit, I think your view of it is pretty close to mine. But I try to give the benefit of the doubt...

No kidding. Sounds like you saved your own ass too. I'm sorry that you were faced with such bleak prospects.

Oh, I hear you. I live in a university town in Canada and the rich and privileged kids still find a way to group up and make life miserable for other students here, even without the Greek system.

Well maybe if we heard more about frats like this (sounds very cool) we could start working towards solving the problems in other frats. We obviously need to hear more about these good examples.

Yeah, I didn't even realize until now that some Greeks get funding or housing from their uni. That is just all kinds of wrong. And like you, I enjoy more satisfaction knowing the relationships I made in school (many of which are still going strong) were based on mutual admiration, affinity and interests rather than…

The fact that some Greek houses are funded by University dollars seems just wrong to me; they should be completely separate organizations. Talk about a clusterfuck of privilege. Also, I don't think I could choke down the irony of being handed a pamphlet on domestic abuse by someone I knew to be involved in bullying…

This is a really excellent point; it would seem in many cases some guidance from older Alum would help these groups maintain their focus on doing good (and acting like reasonable human beings).

I'm glad to hear there are some Greek groups with high standards of academic and social behaviour. It still makes me sad that people seem to feel the need to seek out a group of ready-made friends though. That's really not something I find appealing...but I can see how others would find it comforting.

Fair enough; a few rotten apples should not ruin the barrel.

Yes, freedom of association is very important to protect, I agree. At the same time I find the concept of clubs and groupings based on exclusion rather troubling. So it would seem to me if the Greek system isn't to be abolished, it certainly needs one hell of an overhaul.

S'okay, it's kind of a knee-jerk reaction. The good thing is that you're obviously a very intelligent person who realizes how absurd that momentary reaction is. Many people don't.

Anyone else get the feeling there's something very, very wrong with the Greek system? Between the offensively-themed parties and abusive "initiations," (not to mention the idea that you should only be friends with certain people based on their frat/sorority identification), the whole thing seems like something that we…

Ah, good to know!

Yeah, "real" is definitely a matter of opinion and context. Again, it comes down to viewers craning their necks to get a so-called "honest" view of the privileged few. Yawn.

Huh? That 's rich. It's a show about women who can't get over themselves.

For the sake of discussion?

Lovely commentary; you hit on something about my personal discomfort. When I was 21 or 22 I was pretty self-absorbed and neurotic, always journaling and analyzing and thinking about me, me, me. One day my mom had finally had enough of listening to it and told me if I became any more "introspective" I was gonna fly up…

Yes, I would very curious to know. I'm thinking as a tail-end Gen Xer, this could be part of the problem.

Not at all, I had been wanting to see it and thought it might be good. Mmm...not so much.