Are College Frats Revolutionary In A Way?

[Outinleftfield]

Think about it. While the national organization might not be organized in this way the chapters are democratic and highly autonomous. What might be the nerd frat at one school is the party frat at another. The life and direction of the frat is largely up to its members. Frats usually make decisions democratically among the brothers, and often promote the value of mutual aid in that brothers are expected to help and support each other.

The only real hierarchy is between brothers and pledges but in a socialist worker-controlled economy can we really expect that there won't be some kind of probationary period for new workers? In more decentralized versions of socialism the workers would be free to use almost anything even bizarre rituals as a requirement for joining. A socialist economy based on bottom-up worker ownership could look a lot like a society of fraternities.

[jake williams]

Um no. "Autonomy" for ruling class males isn't really "revolutionary".

[Mindtoaster]

The fraternity I'm in is actually usually considered the most progressive in the nation. We did away with pledge ship back in the 1970s.

As a freshman I'm considered an associate member and have completely equal rights to the initiated brothers. The only difference is that they know the initiation rights and I don't.

I certainly wouldn't consider fraternities *revolutionary* though. We're also pretty much at the mercy of the national organization (who actually profit from our membership fees and such). It's really just an organization for doing little philanthropy things and having awesome parties. I don't think I'd look at it as any kind of model for socialism.

[MaoTseHelen]

For fucks sake - no.

[Mindtoaster]

Um no. "Autonomy" for ruling class males isn't really "revolutionary".

I go to whats somewhat of a community college so I can't really can't speak for the state schools, but my fraternity is overwhelmingly working class. Theres maybe three or four "rich kids"

[spiltteeth]

this thread...

http://i971.photobucket.com/albums/ae191/spiltteeth/FacePalm.jpg

[Andropov]

This thread is beyond bizarre.

[RedAnarchist]

My idea of these fraternities only comes from American films, but aren't they just full of rich middle-class kids getting drunk?

[Stranger Than Paradise]

As RedAnarchist says, I was of the impression these places consisted of rich kids pissing about. In no way can that be considered revolutionary.

[Random Precision]

Somehow no one has mentioned yet the sexism and sometimes horrific abuse of pledges that goes on with a lot of them. Most fraternities are incredibly elitist as well.

I mean, you might as well call the Freemasons revolutionary. They do the same "mutual aid" thing after all, and don't have the bad rep that goes along with excessive drinking and so on. :rolleyes:

[Spawn of Stalin]

Pardon my Britishness but what do fraternities actually do?

[Mather]

Pardon my Britishness but what do fraternities actually do?

Toytown freemasonry for drunk/stoned college kids in the US.

[Comrade B]

I got a bit of a dislike for frats... they are given large homes for having passed a "test" of devotion, it is easiest to get in if your family was in it, to maintain an elite, they may help with blood drives and such, but only to keep their frat getting cash, and also, most importantly, in my experience, they are massive douche bags, like, massive douche bags. Like, black face party douche bags, like hit on your girlfriend and try to kick your ass when you guys get pissed off douche bag. This is based on a personal study of a Washington State TKE house, just thought I would put that out there (they got a mentioning in the Guardian for their incredible racism)

[RedScare]

Holy crap no. Not revolutionary at all. Are you even in college? The frats on my campus do nothing but drink and rub elbows with the rich. Most aren't political at all, there's very little progressive about almost all of them.