Fraternities: lost lives in search of connections

By Sensei Adorador

The death of an Adamson student in the hands of his so-called “brods” adds to the long list of hazing victims since 1954. Despite the existence of the law passed in 1995 that imposed the penalty of reclusion perpetua on the suspects in case the victim dies, fraternities continue their tradition of testing the loyalty and willingness of a neophyte through hazing.

No Pain, No Solidarity

In the research of Robert Cialdini, he found that individuals who exert a significant amount of effort or endure hardship to achieve something place a higher worth on it than those who attain the same thing effortlessly. This would seemingly explain the military’s “No Pain, No Gain” mantra. In a fraternity, neophytes or pledgees who survived the initiation rites together purportedly share the group’s solidarity, making them loyal to the fraternity due to their shared experiences.

This also can be observed in police officers and members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. Their experiences and hardships make them thick as thieves with one another. This could explain why they have batch names that serve as group identification and promote social cohesion.

Another point, it seems, is that inflicting pain in training breaks down an individual’s sense of self and builds him or her into a stronger, more disciplined person. This can help create a sense of pride in the fraternity after you survive, as the member may feel they owe their strength and discipline to the initiation they endured.

Patriarchal Discipline and Social Capital

The existence of this act and why older generations still believe that this ritual measures the willingness to join the fraternity is underpinned by patriarchy. The systemic characteristics of patriarchy continue to permeate our societal beliefs and even run in the family. The father who serves as the household leader and inflicts discipline on his children is akin to what the fraternities practice.

The idea that discipline and inflicting pain will make you tough results in the fraternity mentality that if you want to be a part of us, you must undergo this initiation rite which tests your character and develops discipline. Further, patriarchal discipline promotes this mindset that one will develop loyalty due to the discipline he or she experienced. There is a notion that being tough due to upbringing is similar to joining fraternities which makes you tough because of pain, aggression, and violence occurring in vicious cycles. The idea is that the neophytes must also undergo this initiation and pain because others before them underwent this, too.

Carol Gilligan suggests that aggression and violence are often rooted in powerlessness or insecurity rather than a true desire to dominate or harm others. If we follow the logic of Carol Gilligan, the long tradition of initiation in fraternities lies in the insecurity of the self and compensating for one’s lack of confidence through inflicting pain.

This is similar to the university that produces graduates emphasizing individualism, competition, and separation. Thus, the university itself is frequently problematic since they contribute indirectly to the philosophy of the fraternity. Why does it continue despite universities’ apparent ostracization and aggressive calls not to join fraternities?

Pierre Bourdieu’s concept of social capital refers to the resources and benefits individuals and groups can access through their social connections and networks. Fraternities allow students to build social connections and networks with other students who share common interests and values. These connections can provide access to valuable resources, such as information about internships and job opportunities, academic support, and social support. This is why they convinced members to join their organization during recruitment—due to the promise of connections.

A friend joined a fraternity in one of the law schools in Manila, and I asked him why. He answered that because he is a probinsyano with no connections in Manila. They can help him during the Bar review. He joined because he could benefit from the offers like leakage of questions for the Bar and even connections with the league of lawyers. They have brods in the legal system, a padrino because they are “brods”. He can carry out some decisions with favors from his brods. I have witnessed this not only among lawyers but also among police officers.

Education and Fraternities

Why are college students joining fraternities? This is one of my students’ questions last week after knowing about the demise of John Matthew Salilig. Historical materialism explains the economic and material factors that have contributed to the development and persistence of fraternities.

One key economic factor is the country’s increasing commercialization of higher education. As colleges and universities become more market-oriented, they have to compete for students and resources, which led to the proliferation of extracurricular organizations, including fraternities. Such fraternities have leveraged their social and cultural capital to attract members and secure funding from alumni and donors, enabling them to expand their influence on college campuses.

Another economic factor is the changing nature of work and employment in the Philippines. As the job market has become more competitive and uncertain, many college students have turned to fraternities to build social networks and gain job opportunities through alumni connections. Fraternities have also become a source of social capital for students lacking economic and cultural capital, such as those from low-income or minority backgrounds. Thus, students who often label themselves sanay sa hirap join fraternities because they have nothing to lose. To their minds, pain is only temporary, but the glory is forever.

Another interesting factor is the sense of belongingness. Onlookers see how the fraternities do community service and show camaraderie inside the campus, making them appealing. Some fraternities provide campus projects and services to the students; they are well-known on campus. I asked one student why he had joined his fraternity. He said he felt secure and had a sense of belongingness in his fraternity more than his family and classmates since his classmates viewed him as a “weirdo” and he came from a broken home.

The elitism in education drives one to join an organization that promises connections after graduation. The competitiveness in searching for jobs makes them search for an avenue to compete in the market as they are promised strong connections. Although some people do not understand this decision to join the fraternity, for some, especially in the laylayan, fraternity is the answer because they are desperate. That is why they take the road less traveled even if they know that one foot is in the grave—willing to bear the mark of Cain.