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Stanford’s war on social life

palladiummag.com

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Re: Stanford’s war on social life

#21

Post by mandelbrotwurst »

humanistbot wrote: post #8

I read the whole article, and it seems to be entirely about the push to remove Greek / Frat / Sorority life from campus and convert these houses to more traditional dorms. I know that some people who got a lot out of Greek Life equate it with Social Life, but most college students don't pledge/rush and it doesn't get in the way of social life. There are plenty of ways to socialize without frats.

It isn't, but even if it were, the fact that alternatives exist isn't an argument for getting rid of something.

Re: Stanford’s war on social life

#22

Post by hoistbypetard »

I thought Kappa Alpha got "un-housed" as part of the fallout for hosting the party where the Brock Turner assault took place.

That kind of event would have led to a frat being dissolved on my campus in the 1990s.

Obviously there are many other examples in this article, but that one doesn't seem to quite fit.

Re: Stanford’s war on social life

#24

Post by Hermitian909 »

kenjackson wrote: post #6
version_five wrote: post #3

[flagged]

Ehh. I think it sometimes sucks for those for which the past lack of equity benefitted them. Probably more than anywhere I see this in athletics with boys and girls. Certain Dad’s of boys complain about how when they were boys they could do all these things that are now off limits because they say girls complain about them. I’m not sure the girls feel the same way.

I think viewing this in terms of society-level power dynamics is a little too simplistic, and we can show that by example.

I have a white friend who moved into the Mission District in SF, mostly sight unseen, and hated it. For those not familiar, the Mission is a primarily hispanic community with lots of loud music, partying, street races, and people setting off fireworks at night. My friend from out of town was miserable with all the noise and had to break his lease early, he just couldn't understand how people could value their communal celebrations more than people's peace and quiet. Conversely, my friends who who grew up in the love it and being immersed in that culture is a huge source of their happiness.

While I'm not sure I'd use the phrasing "multiculturalism doesn't work", I think there's a real phenomenon here where people with like values are happier self-segregating into communities of people with similar values rather than integrating more fully and compromising on more of the things that are important to them.

Re: Stanford’s war on social life

#26

Post by [deleted] »

googlryas wrote: post #7
version_five wrote: post #3

[flagged]

When do you think multiculturalism was implemented? Hasn't America been multicultural for...hundreds of years? Different immigrant groups had their own culture, different states had their own culture, different religions had their own cultures, hicks/urbanites had their own cultures, educated/uneducated had their own cultures, etc.

[deleted]

Re: Stanford’s war on social life

#27

Post by npc12345 »

humanistbot wrote: post #8

I read the whole article, and it seems to be entirely about the push to remove Greek / Frat / Sorority life from campus and convert these houses to more traditional dorms. I know that some people who got a lot out of Greek Life equate it with Social Life, but most college students don't pledge/rush and it doesn't get in the way of social life. There are plenty of ways to socialize without frats.

No post body was provided.

Re: Stanford’s war on social life

#28

Post by BonoboIO »

What a sad story. I can really imagine being there and have fun, be creative and „grow up“ to be an adult with a purpose in life.

But now, this sounds like a soulless place, replaceable, replaceable like myself. Every student should be the same, no variations ... for what. I don’t get it.

This makes me very sad.

Re: Stanford’s war on social life

#29

Post by car_analogy »

kenjackson wrote: post #6
version_five wrote: post #3

[flagged]

Ehh. I think it sometimes sucks for those for which the past lack of equity benefitted them. Probably more than anywhere I see this in athletics with boys and girls. Certain Dad’s of boys complain about how when they were boys they could do all these things that are now off limits because they say girls complain about them. I’m not sure the girls feel the same way.

> Ehh. I think it sometimes sucks for those for which the past lack of equity benefitted them.

Absence of multiculturalism is not inherently a "lack of equity", and dismissing any criticism with "you just liked it because you got to oppress people" is, well, dismissive. This excuse might work if you are only familiar with the US perspective, but living in a largely "monocultural" country myself, I can attest that it is not benefiting from "lack of equity" that makes it wonderful to live in. How could it, when, even assuming there is a substantial lack of equity, minorities are so statistically negligible that their oppression cannot significantly benefit the majority.

Re: Stanford’s war on social life

#30

Post by thatfrenchguy »

humanistbot wrote: post #8

I read the whole article, and it seems to be entirely about the push to remove Greek / Frat / Sorority life from campus and convert these houses to more traditional dorms. I know that some people who got a lot out of Greek Life equate it with Social Life, but most college students don't pledge/rush and it doesn't get in the way of social life. There are plenty of ways to socialize without frats.

This seems to be like "they're removing greek/frat/sororities, so they're coming for co-ops".

That said, you know, you're going to a rich private university with other rich kids, what do you expect the administration to do?

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