Why do teens allow themselves to be hazed?

Learn about: Why do teens allow themselves to be hazed? from Hank Nuwer,...
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Why do teens allow themselves to be hazed?

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Why do people submit to hazing, or why do people ask others to go through hazing? Well, with high-status organizations there is a belief, let's say in fraternities, that going through hazing is kind of a litmus test of manhood. With our African American historic fraternities lately, there's been an interesting surge at the top to try and end it because they have been a number of deaths, a number of injuries. Students at the bottom, who are getting into the group, have a fight back against their national groups. They believe that they gain something from hazing, that they are better people. They are more prepared to go through life's travails. They are going to get secrets and songs and passwords that the others do not. People say to others coming in, you can either be a paper member, meaning the national organization says you're a member; or you can be a real member and you've taken the hitting or the alcohol or you've gone through some kind of right of passage. We have accepted you and that means something more than a piece of paper.
TEEN, Bullying and Harassment, Hazing

Learn about: Why do teens allow themselves to be hazed? from Hank Nuwer,...

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Hank Nuwer

Hazing Expert

Hank Nuwer is a writer and social critic who writes on the topic of hazing as an international human rights abuse issue and USA high school and campus safety issue. The State University of New York's Buffalo State College awarded him a Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1999 and Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters in 2006 for his long career as a hazing historian and researcher. His first investigative story on hazing appeared in 1978 for Human Behavior Magazine, including his groundbreaking interview on hazing as a form of Groupthink conducted with Groupthink theorist Irving Janis.  

Hazing, Alcohol Use, College Transition
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