When comparing the application of communication theories to the real life I think of the “Cultural approach to organizations” which means that people are like animals who are suspended in webs that they created. Theorists in this tradition argue that an organization’s culture is composed of shared symbols, each of which has a unique meaning. Organizational stories, rituals, and rites of passage are examples of what constitutes the culture of an organization. With this approach I think about the things people do to become or be part of a geek organization.
Since 1825, all but three U.S. presidents have been members of a fraternity.85% of Fortune 500 executives were part of Greek life. The first female astronaut was Greek. So was the first female senator. And college graduation rates are 20% higher among Greeks than non-Greeks. Which begs an obvious question: Does being in a fraternity or sorority increase your chance for success? Whether they join to make friends, to build their resumes, to go to parties or to learn leadership skills, they each have an incentive to change some aspect of their life. A common deterrent for joining are the sometimes-negative stereotypes associated with Greek life. Fraternities and sororities are often associated with hazing, drinking and partying. Since 1975, there has been at least one hazing-induced death per year across college campuses — and 82% of these have come as a result of binge drinking. But hazing scandals make headlines — and fundraisers and philanthropy events generally do not. Historically, partying was not the reason to commit to Greek life. In the 1820’s, less than 1% of white males went to liberal arts colleges and
universities primarily trained their students to become ministers. Fraternities were often referred to as “secret societies.” As these societies quickly spread to other campuses and the first sorority emerged in 1831, Greek organizations consisted of a network of supporters, with brothers and...