Tuesday, January 16, 2007

Late Night Shots Kinda Makes Sense to Me Now. Also, Women Are Bitches.

I just finished reading Pledged: The Secret Life of Sororities by Alexandra Robbins (the other books in that library run were How to Survive a Robot Uprising and The Men Who Stare at Goats, so don't even).

While the book could have used more topless pillowfights (or any topless pillowfights, for that matter), and some of the interpersonal dramas got a little tedious, it was a pretty good read (as long as you define "good read" as "confirming every negative stereotype you ever had about sorority sisters, college girls, and the entire female gender BITCHES BITCHES THEY'REALLBITCHES")

Anyway, the Late Night Shots crue hasn't made it into Wonkette for a while, but reading the book puts the whole "what if a girl was lying about what sorority she was in"-thing into context.

The comments on the book's Amazon listing are also pretty interesting (if by "interesting" you mean "depressing." As with modern American political debate, a viewpoint different than your own = crippling bias.)

My own college experience is pretty irrelevant to this -- other than a few friends who were sisters, my only experience with sororities was walking through the quad during rush and hearing this low murmur, that slowly grew into a hum, then droning buzz, then an overpowering, mind-destroying goose-squawking of a thousand inane conversations going on at once.

There's probably a larger point to be made about slavish adherence to ritual, conformity, conspicuous consumption and political conservatism, but I'm not going to get into it.

Anyway, as long as I'm dipping into the old college memory hole, I do have one mildly amusing anecdote that involves a sorority, but I will have to see if I still have the physical evidence before I can talk about it.

4 comments:

E :) said...

I've just started reading this book - just a couple of pages in. Since we don't have sororities or fraternities in Australia I am really fascinated to be able to read about this phenomenon.

I find the whole concept quite bizarre. But I guess that's just because there's nothing like it here.

Joelogon said...

Perhaps you would be interested in joining the sorority I'm starting? The dues are reasonable and the hazing is... exquisite -- Joe

Red Photography said...

I read that book. It reinforced every reason I had for not applying to any colleges with Greek systems. My beloved alma was blissfully Greek-free.

Kelly Wolfe said...

I agree with e:) and I am from here. bizarre.

That would be an interesting read though....I will put it on my list. I love books about other cultures. Good call.

Lisa