A Conversation for Alcohol Abuse

University drinking culture

Post 21

Mammuthus Primigenius

This time of year can be really bad if there's a heat wave. It only takes one idiot to leave his window open and radio on. And most students have exams around now.


University drinking culture

Post 22

pedrocortes

My primary concern with alcohol abuse at universities relates to the subculture present at those institutions of higher education, to wit: The Greek System. While I suspect this is primarily an American university subculture, I also suspect its abuses might have relevance in other national university systems as well.

The Greek System consists of fraternities and sororities, primarily social in nature as distinguished from the academically or professionally oriented organizations such Phi Beta Kappa. While many university fraternity and sorority chapters allegedly encourage academic excellence, there is reason to suppose they may be paying only lip service to this worthy goal.

In this subculture alcohol abuse is actively encouraged especially among potential inductees during Rush Week. It is clear that these exercises are intended primarily to induce humiliation, but they have other perhaps more pernicious effects as well, since young people have been killed during such activities in so-called accidents related to alcohol abuse.

Fraternity parties are also notorious for encouraging alcohol abuse. One would suspect this is primarily because alcoholic beverages are considered an aid to sexual seduction.

This is why as a univerity campus safety officer I once refused to escort a young lady to a frat party. I noted that the purpose of the escort program was, among other things, to prevent young ladies from being sexually assaulted and, therefore, it seemed somewhat nonsense to escort a young lady to a venue where she had a rather substantial risk of being subjected to so-called "date rape".

It should come as no surprise that the young lady subsequently complained and I was personally reprimanded, however, I stood by my decision then and would stand by it today.

I believe university officials and national fraternity governing boards have a social responsibility to ensure that young ladies don't encounter a greater risk of sexual assault at fraternity parties than they do walking unescorted across campus.

The first step in the process is to ensure that alcohol abuse isn't encouraged at any fraternity functions. Unfortunely, there is a great deal of opposition to this process because many alumnae are quick to point out that "it's just a part of growing up".

In my view, this argument is pure baloney. It's not part of growing up. It's part of acting infantile, the precise opposite of growing up. One does not learn "responsible consumption" by being exposed to its exact opposite.

These "children" are, by virtue of their alleged university education, very probably the future leaders of the nation in business, professional sports, politics and many other areas. In parentis loco takes on a rather dubious meaning in this context when most of the world's population is considered mature at ages well below that attributed to the "youngsters" of the United States. Perhaps it would appropriate to reevaluate some presumptions here?

In any event, one would hope that the nation is not going to be lead by drunks but when one considers what we have now, in the person of the current President of the United States, one might suspect the drunks have already taken over. Now it ought to be rather clear why this might be the case and how we might change it.


University drinking culture

Post 23

Andrew Merenbach

These problems definitely exist in the United States, too. There was something on the news recently about Florida State University being one of the worst "party colleges" in the whole country.


University drinking culture

Post 24

lilithcookie

Probably not a political party school either right? Higher education is what now? Oh yeah... right... learning how to get high... I forgot... for just a minute.

Gosh... how clever to growup where you can squander huge amounts of other people's money learning how to get drunk. Party on dudes!


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Post 25

hipwell_no1

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