Why some GLO members don't answer questions

[DrPhil]

Since it is a new year and a lot of people don't read the sticky threads in forums that were posted years ago:

Some members of GLOs don't answer membership questions: (1) we have been asked not to by our NHQ; (2) it compromises the accuracy of information; and (3) we want aspirants to research and figure things out using NHQ website, chapter website, and real life members.

There are times when we respond to threads but, even in those times, aspirants need to know that randoms on the Internet can tell them anything. Please don't let Internet forums replace your brain and the resources you have access to outside of an Internet forum.

I say all of this to say, hopefuls should be respectful of GLO members on the Internet but they also need to check their sources and check the legitimacy of the information. Don't instantly run to and trust message boards, Facebook pages and websites that aren't officially affiliated with the GLO. Talk to real life people and research the information received.

I chalk this up to the prevalence of different sources for information and the Internet rather than age (being younger). Some of us who were collegiate members know what it meant to be pushed to research and be accountable for the information we accessed.

GLOs have different cultures but do you have any thoughts on this, GCers?

[amIblue?]

I'd like to add

4. Because no one has an obligation to answer questions to strangers on the internet.

[DrPhil]

LOL. That, too.

[Kevin]

And maybe in a slightly different lane, 5) because even though you're rushing a chapter of our own organization, unless you're going to our school or one we are personally familiar with and up-to-date with, we have no idea how to answer your question. Every school has a different membership intake situation and every fraternity within that school has its own way it deals with that. If you're rushing Sigma Nu at California State, L.A., I may have met a member of that chapter at convention, but I have no idea how their intake process works.

[Sen's Revenge]

I'm a blogger for a website (tumblr platform) which specializes in membership intake questions. The majority of our responses to the anonymous questions are "It depends on the chapter."

A lot of the questions are interesting though, beyond the basic "What are my chances." A good deal of LGBT aspirants have had inquiries. Other folks have concerns about unsupportive family members.

And we're still snarky in our responses if the questions show a lack of thought/research.

[DrPhil]

True, not all aspirant questions are the standard/basic questions. I love that aspirants have a place to go for questions such as LGBTQ and family support for which it is difficult to find real life and non-Internet resources. Those also tend to be the types of questions that BGLO members are more willing to answer on message boards (and often the responses aren't bigoted).

[honeychile]

As I used to have in my signature, not every question deserves an answer. The sooner people realize that, the faster they mature.

Which is not to say that there haven't been valid questions asked out of innocence. It is just that, it may not deserve a response. The person who asks a question should keep that in mind.

[AOII Angel]

I'm still chuckling at "Thanks for wishing me luck but I prefer blessings."

[amIblue?]

Originally Posted by AOII Angel

I'm still chuckling at "Thanks for wishing me luck but I prefer blessings."

That made me laugh, too. I'd take what I can get as an aspirant, just saying.

[AZTheta]

To me, a large factor is the extreme variability in college chapters and greek culture. In a broad sense, there are no universals. I think we might all agree that (for example) while a PNM might be a perfect match at a UCLA chapter, there's no way that PNM would fit in at the same chapter (or any chapter, for that matter) at Ole Miss. Know what I mean?

So how can we answer questions like "what will get me cut?" (talking about NPC recruitment). Other than the broad generalities (the PNM committed a felony, or slept with the entire football team, or something of the sort) we really can't say. Membership selection is the business of each individual chapter on a campus.

Besides we don't even know the PNM who's posting. Nothing to go on.

Somehow I think I'm going off on a tangent and so I'll stop.

Oh, and DrPhil, blessings to you or on you or whatever.

[DrPhil]

These blessings smell suspect. Eww.

What was your tangent, AZTheta? Share your tangent or else.

[AOII Angel]

Bless your heart.

[starang21]

LMAO

[DrPhil]

[AZTheta]

DrPhil, I already forgot the tangent. I think 33girl can probably figure out what I'm trying to say. She has that talent.

Take back that "eww". Now. I was being nice. It's that hard to believe?