These are my definitions, the are not necessarily official in any way.


Fraternity (Frat)
An organization organized as a "brotherhood" with specific (usually secret) rituals required for membership. An initiate (pledge, prospective member, etc.) must complete certain tasks and swear certain oaths to join. Once inside, the member is distinct from the population at large. Typically there are restrictions on who may pledge. Often it is by invitation only.
This includes "traditional" college ("Greek") fraternities, as well as "grown-up" fraternities (e.g. Lions, Elks, Masons, Eagles, Kiwanis...).
This term is used ere interchangably with "pledging organization."

Sorority
Like a fraternity, only with women. (Technically, a co-ed organization is a fraternity.)

Non-Fraternity
An organization that is simply not a fraternity. Such organizations, for one reason or another, do not meet the criteria listed above. This category includes some groups that go by Greek letters (e.g. Gamma Beta Phi - an academic honor society; Phi Beta Lambda - a college business society), as well as regular groups (e.g. the Breakfast Club, the Big Eugene Fan Club, TSPA...)

Un-Fraternity
An organization that is set up so as to be distinct from fraternities.

Anti-Fraternity
Like an unfraternity, only more so.

Pledge
n - a prospective member who participates in pledging rites in order to join a fraternal organization, sometimes called prospective member.

v - to participate in pledging rites.

Pledging
Also called pledging rites, prospective member period, orientation, et al.
A period where a pledge performs tasks that are required to join a fraternal organization. These tasks serve many purposes, including familiarizing the pledge with the organization, its history, its rituals, etc.; weeding out individuals who are not fully committed to joining the organization (by performing difficult tasks); weeding out pledges who are considered "undesirable" by the membership (often by performing near-impossible tasks, see hazing section below); amusing the members; and getting the members' chores done.

A common occurrence during pledging is hazing. Hazing takes many forms and is used to thin the ranks of pledges, as well as provide sadistic amusement for members. There are many standards of what constitutes hazing. Common elements are harassment, alcohol (and other drug) consumption, nudity, acts of criminal mischief, disgusting fluids (e.g. cod liver oil), sleep deprivation, excessive physical activity, impossible tasks, abuse, racism and bigotry, and others too numerous or vile to list.

Hazing is justified by many excuses. One is the belief that if I survived, they can (and must) as well. (An excuse often used by abusive individuals.) Another is that the homogeneity of the membership must be maintained. (We can't let that kind in.) Hazing allows "undesirable" pledges to be eliminated (usually by forcing them to quit). If the "undesirable" does make it through the pledging, ironically, he will not make it in anyway. Hazers, like abusers, often do not see that what they are doing is hazing.

Hazing is condemned in word, but practiced in deed by many (though not all) fraternities. National fraternities often must crack down on local chapters for hazing to avoid bad publicity. Many fraternities only change when threatened with discipline by national organizations, the university administration, or law enforcement. It is a tradition that is carried on year after year. As with abuse, courageous people are required to break the cycle.

Pledging Organization
See Fraternity.

Org
an organization (any type).

Fratism
Fratism is a spirit that is prevalent in almost all fraternal organizations. It is closely related to snobbery. Fratism is a form of eletism that believes that membership in a certain organization somehow makes a person better than everyone else. This may be seen in people of all ages. Children have their clubs and don't allow certain people to join. Adolescents have their cliques and social clubs. College fraternities and sororities are the typical example of fratism and usually the worst offenders. "Grown-up" frats also exhibit this befavior.

Fratism is inherently present in all fraternal organizations. They may avoid it for a while, but it will eventually sneak into the organization. (See the inherent corruption of fraternities.) Even if not all of the members display fratism, the organization is still corrupt if one member is a fratist.

Fratist
A person who pracitces, lives, or exhibits the traits of fratism.



Go to the antifrat, nonfrat, unfrat, etc. page
Go to the definition of anti page
Go to the Zonk unpage
























If tim whistles are made out of tin,

Then what do they make foghorns out of?