A Counteracting Force on Campus 84Mass Society has brought all of America together. Wireless telephones can connect you to another person at any time, any place. You can talk to a person living in Africa and talk to someone in China at the same time with internet chat-rooms. Whether it’s sitting in rush hour, in the middle of the line at McDonald’s, or attending a baseball game, society seems to close in on us from all around. With all the faceless crowds surrounding you every day, where can one go to meet people with the same interests? College Fraternities, of course!Students away from home for the first time are looking for a sense of community and belong. Being around a lot of people you don’t know might be lonely, but living with the same people day in and day out can create a pressure to belong. In the mid-sixties, college fraternities had a boom, averaging about 30% of college campuses. In the seventies, that number dropped to 19% due to the anti-war and people’s rights era. In the eighties, the number quickly rose back into prominence. Today fraternities can be found in great numbers on almost all college campuses.Fraternities can be a great tool for scared, confused, and lonely freshman to meet one another. Fraternities are now seen as a haven for binge-drinking, hazing, and rape. Many campuses are now trying to abolish frats all together. As long as fraternities are run in a decent, respectable manner, bringing students together to form a sense of unity and friendship is an important part of the college experience.The Appeal of Cults#6 pg. 86The term “Cult” is used by many people to refer to any group, organization, or church that they dislike. Cults are typically accused of brainwashing unsuspecting students, elders, adults, and children into following their beliefs or group. Cults received a bad rap from such leaders as Charles Manson and Jim Jones, who instructed their followers to kil...
