Literature Review Blog #5

 

 

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Hoover, Eric. "After a Death, a Question: Are Students Hard-Wired for Hazing?"

            Editorial. Chronicle of Higher Education 17 Feb. 2012, Volume 58 ed.: n. pag. Web.


This article explains WHY people haze. It touches upon the fact that we as a society used to haze African Americans, and now it is being done in higher education organizations such as clubs or Greek life. It explains that hazing is a form of revenge, and people except it to be done to them. Psychologists have found that is all about the strive to carry on tradition, and the obligation a person feels to do so.

Eric Hoover is a senior writer for The Chronicle. He has written numerous stories on adult students, and the issues of the new millennium generations. He graduated from the University of Virginia, and has been recognized by Education Writers Association, among others, and his articles have also been published in the New York Times.

Spotlight parties: Pledges are blind folded and when it is removed, brothers shine bright lights in their eyes while yelling at them and asking them questions about the fraternities history.

Revenge: One taking the humiliation forced on them, and channeling that onto someone else

'The psyche of the perpetrators is that they believe they have the right and a duty to pass on the tradition,' Ms. Lipkins says." (Hoover 1). A member of an organization believes it is their responsibility to keep tradition alive, no matter how violent or inappropriate.

"They experience anger and humiliation when this is done to them, and then they get to complete the circle, they get back their self-esteem." (Hoover 1). They also haze as a form of revenge. They need to earn back some of their pride, and thus begins the viscous cycle.

"These groups are telling all of us, 'here's the way we do things, we've always done things this way, and we're going to continue doing them this way. Yeah, we beat people, we force people to drink themselves to death, we inherently see it as traditional and good, with a few losses here and there,'" Mr. Jones says. "Now the political question for presidents is, what are you going to do with that?" (Hoover 2). Hoover explains that the idea of hazing is not going to end because most people who commit these acts see it resulting in more positive results, than negative.


This article help me prove my point that people haze because of tradition and because of revenge. It proves my point that it is a vicious cycle that will continue for year to come.