Topic:
Hazing
Thesis
Statement: Hazing, even if it is considered tradition, should be stopped
because it causes negative psychological, emotional and physical effects.
I.
Introduction
A. Fact
B. Thesis
Statement
II.
Body
A. Definition
of Hazing
B. Types
of Hazing
C. Arguments
1. Hazing
is traditional since the members who received it feel that it is their
privilege to deal it to the new recruits, and so on.
2. Hazing
can be reasonable, however in certain cases, may cause death.
3. Hazing
makes the members worthy, but they never truly recover from the trauma they
received.
III.
Conclusion
A. Summary
According
to a study conducted by Elizabeth J. Allen, Ph.D., Associate Professor and Mary
Madden, Ph.D., Associate Professor from the University of Maine, 55% of college
students involved in clubs, teams, and organizations experience hazing. To say
then that these clubs, teams and organizations require hazing as a sort of rite
of passage or test to prove one’s worth to gain the acceptance of the current
members is not a far-fetched idea. However, hazing, even if it is considered
tradition, should be stopped because it causes negative psychological,
emotional and physical effects.
Hazing
is a required act of a certain degree of ridicule to gain membership of a group
or organization, notwithstanding the willingness of the person to participate.
It is classified into three groups by the gravity of the required act: Subtle
hazing, harassment hazing and violent hazing.
Subtle
hazing is, as its name implies, the least taxing of the three kinds. The hazing
involved can be considered as innocuous or even pointless since whatever they
must do is not as unreasonable as the members expect, like having to do things
that other members are not expected to do, name-calling or simple drills. Usually, new recruits feel that they have to
endure subtle hazing to be accepted into the fold.
The
next kind, harassment hazing, causes a relative degree of discomfort,
physically or emotionally, to the rookies involved. In addition to that, they
also cause frustration or stress just to make them feel as though they belong
to the rest of the herd. These acts can be obeying a certain upper member for a
certain period of time, wearing something humiliating for a certain period of
time, receiving verbal abuse or even harassing others.
Some
of these acts of hazing may progress into the third kind which is violent
hazing. The acts involved in violent hazing can cause actual physical,
emotional or psychological harm to the novices. New members may be expected to
perform a specific crime, to receive a beating or to take drugs and other
illegal substances. In the 2008 study conducted by Elizabeth J. Allen, Ph.D.,
Associate Professor and Mary Madden, participation in a drinking game is the
most popular form of hazing for both genders. It goes for 31% of males and 23%
of females in the college level. Other acts with significantly high percentages
for both sexes are singing or chanting by self or with select others of groups
in public in a situation that is not a related event, game, or practice,
drinking large amounts of alcohol to the point of getting sick or passing out
and depriving oneself of sleep, among others.
Most
teams and organizations view hazing as a tradition; it is a rite of passage
that every new member must go through to gain the respect of the other members.
However, respect is not gained; it is earned. So hazing each batch of new
recruits is not simply acceptance with a certain amount of respect, it is also
a way for the older members to reciprocate. There may also be instances wherein
older members are also required to undergo hazing to still be accepted as
members, so the process repeats again and again, creating the illusion of
‘tradition’, when in reality, it’s just a way of getting back at each other.
Some
groups may argue that the hazing that new members go through is reasonable, not
traumatic in any way. Nevertheless, it is apparent that there are cases where
even the simplest kind of hazing cause trauma for the participant. In
worst-case scenarios, the participant may die. It is no laughing matter; hazing
is a dangerous way to welcome new members of a group, team or organization. There
are consequences to creating an environment wherein there is an apparent imbalance
of power.
Various
organizations insist that hazing is done to make their members stronger or
worthier. That may be true, on the outside. People who undergo hazing usually
become tougher on the outside; they are able to take pain or embarrassment lightly,
likely because they are around people who have gone through the same thing. But
inside, the trauma is still there. It makes the person more vulnerable
psychologically and emotionally. Over time, when the people around the hazed
individual are gone, the outside toughness wears away and the stress and
challenges of real life prove to be too much to handle for their damaged state.
They may break down and succumb to vices like smoking or drinking in order to
cope with their lives.
Recently,
there was news in the Philippines of a death of a victim of hazing named Marc Andre Marcos, who was a San Beda law
student. The perpetrators have yet to be captured by the authorities and the
relatives and friends of the deceased continue to cry for justice. This
incident shows that hazing is indeed a serious issue, particularly in the
schools and colleges, and will have serious repercussions. Even survivors of
hazing are not safe from it; the scars, psychological or physical, will not
fade completely. They will be haunted by their past and it will affect their
futures, so imagine, 55% of the youth today are subjected to hazing. These teenagers may become successful but the
trauma from hazing may influence them into doing things that may harm or even
destroy their futures, and, in effect, endanger the future of the country.
References:
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