Stanford's Problem with Blacking Out
Levi Lebovitz examines the recent crackdown on fraternities through a psychoanalytic lens, exploring the intersection between achievement culture and excessive drinking.
This fall, Stanford freshmen missed out on infamous all-campus parties like EuroTrash, KAbo, and White Lies, which form core first-year memories.
The University's crackdown aims to hold fraternities accountable for "transports" - hospitalizations due to excessive drinking - at their parties.
The University seems to hold the position that fraternities ought to provide spaces for responsible social aggregation rather than alcoholic belligerence.
However, punishing fraternities for transports only addresses a small symptom of a larger disease.
Author's summary: Stanford's crackdown on fraternities only treats a symptom.