What do you, BRITISH people think about the American sororities/fraternities?

I just want to say that for my part, what I've read about them makes me cringe: I just hate hazing and it's hard to believe students would like to enter them!
I hope you'll also say if that sort of things happen in Oxbridge or redbrick universities.

It doesn't happen in NZ Universities either.

Personally, I don't understand the philosophy behind them and see nothing either desirable or enviable in connection with them. I would be happy to see all UK Universities (including Oxford and Cambridge) remain fraternity and sorority-free institutions!

Being too thick to go to university means I cant comment. What I will say is when I went to Kingsway Technical College in Dundee to become a sheet metal worker, we never had them. LOL.

My daughter experienced something similar in joining a sports team at her Uni. There was no spanking with a paddle, but members were classed as Grannies, Mummies and Babies (I think), whereby the babies did all the dirty work for the mummies and grannies. She decided it was all too childish and left the team.

Thanks to all of you!! I still wonder why some students accept readily to submit to those undignified requirements!
@Lincoln: it's awfully nice to have a strong-willed daughter!
Here, hazing has been officially abolished in the eighties, but you all know how the students just don't care about laws!

They are in Canada and are popular because of the amount of alcoholic parties and the status it gives one to say they belong to such a thing. Hazing was banned here a long time ago, however I would say it goes on today, and not only in the Uni's but in almost any institution, like the army for example.

I was on student council in college back in the 70's however the college was a small arts college and too new to have such things. I don't know if I would have joined at that time as when one is in their teens and early twenties we do things that later in life we wonder why in the hell we ever did it.

@canadian spa,kee
Yes, we can wonder! I think our education was quite repressive at the time and it was difficult to have a mind of one's own.
I'm very glad our children have been able to go a step further. I still marvel at my daughter's attitude: she's been well educated and it shows, but she doesn't accept any nonsense in her professional life!
I wish I had had the guts myself!

No sign of it yet here in Britain, but I wouldn't be surprised if it did catch on. Over the last decade or so ridiculous "proms nights" have taken hold. Kids being driven around in limos dressed like a million dollars and all to celebrate the end of their "dumbed-down" A-levels.

I think this is due to the overexposure to US films or "movies" as we are encouraged to refer to them these days...

They don't have them in Australia. I did talk to an American guy who was in one, he just enjoyed them as a place to party and socialise with friends, which is really what they are about. There are certain ones which also help their members explore business and post college opportunities. A little like the 'old school tie' in Britain used to be able to open up doors over there, being a member of the right fraternity can do the same for people in the States.