WORDS

So I am a big believer that the words we use, influence our thoughts, and our thoughts, well they influence our actions. words --> thoughts --> actions.

Nothing really magical there - I don’t claim to have solved any world crisis by coming up with the formula. However, I do wonder, if that is true (which I think it is) then why do we choose to use so many words that negatively influence our thoughts leading to negative actions?

Examples you ask?

• Why do we talk about our college aged females as “girls” and then wonder why so many of these individuals are not treated as “women?”

• Why do we talk about our fraternal organizations which are centered around challenging members to live authentically by the values of scholarship, citizenship and leadership as “houses” and then wonder why so many people think we are nothing more than brick and mortar where people buy their friends?

• Why do we talk about our collective chapters at OSU as a “system” and then wonder why we don’t have a strong “community?”

• Why do we talk about the alcoholic parties we have on Friday nights as “socials” and then wonder why so many people think that by being “social fraternities” all we do is drink?

• Why do we talk about the 8 IFC executive officers as “IFC,” and then wonder why IFC chapters thinks “IFC makes the rules, and we are here to rebel against them,” when those chapters were in reality the ones who made the rules?
  

Instead...

Why don’t we talk about college aged females as “women?” And our “guys” as “men?”

Why don’t we talk about our fraternal values based organizations as “chapters?”

Why don’t we talk about our collective chapters as a “community?”

Why don’t we talk make a distinction between alcoholic parties and “socials?” ( hint: “social” does not equal “alcohol”)

Why don’t we talk about the “executive officers” as the “executive officers” and IFC (hint: IFC = every member of every IFC chapter) as “IFC” (and this applies to all councils...)

And my biggest pet peeve...

Why do we talk about ourselves as “Greek?” I don’t know about you, but I’m not from Greece, and I have no Greek heritage. None of my great grandparents are from Greece (that I know off), and I really have no interest in claiming Greek heritage. And I have no interest in being associated with what people think of when they think of the TV show “Greek” or what people think of when they talk about “Greeks” on our college campuses.

I am a member of a Fraternity. I am a Fraternity man. And I want people to think of me when they talk about “Fraternity.” Not when they talk about “Greek.” And I don't want to claim Greek when there really are people out there from Greece who are truly "Greek."

I think of two very different things when I think of “Greek” and of “Fraternity/Sorority.”

So I know your saying right about now “Comon Tyler, its just words. Whats the big deal?”

And I would say: “Exactly. It is just a word. And one word is all it takes to influence one thought. Words are very powerful things”

So next time you find yourself saying “girl,” “house,” “social,” “system,” or “Greek,” take a few seconds to ask yourself “is the word I’m about to use going to influence someone’s thoughts in a way that will only perpetuate the perceptions we are fighting so hard to end?”

And if you do end up using one of those words in front of me, don’t be surprised if you hear me say “what did you just say?”