it's understandable that people are afraid of being left out and don't really possess the skills to find a support structure on their own so they look for something available.
Yup. I love history, hiking, and partying. Two of these don't make for good group activities. But seriously I met the best friend of my life. HE is in the army but also a history geek. Our chance of meeting outside of a pledge was basically 0. Ended living with him for 3.5 years, and we still visit each other 4 times a year.
problem is that weird is sometimes (if not usually) good.
Define weird. I was raised on the straight and narrow and that transitioned into college and into my adult life as well. Call me a sellout, but I don't do things that aren't socially acceptable. I have quirks and nerdy tendencies, but I choose not to express it in my outward appearance, because my field and my job demand high levels of professionalism. I was raised on nice clothes and I continue to do that today. (There is a family reason behind this, both my parents being raised in poverty and not having nice things. They broke the cycle and always wanted me to have what it took to succeed. In this regard I count myself very lucky.)
world of high school, with all its popularity contest bullshit.
Really? I was in a traditional southern frat, and never once did I feel compelled to make myself the most popular person. My friends and I within the fraternity ridiculed people who actually took the whole "TFM" seriously.
cues from the entitled assholes of the key frats or risk being outcast
This just shows you don't know what a fraternity is like. You are friendly with everyone, but there are cliques within. We had skaters, stoners, rich guy coke heads, military, farmers, old guys there on GI bill, musicians, people who sucked at anything academic, and people who got 4.0s. It was an incredibly diverse group. But maybe I just got lucky, and I definitely know the crappy groups you are talking about, they do exist.
(notice i said truck, that'll give a hint as to where this was)
What does this even mean? Are you implying not everywhere in the United States is filled with trucks? I've lived in DC, GA, WV, and now I live in CA. Every state (and federal district) is full of trucks.
i consider it morally cheap and slightly cowardly to join up then adjust your appearance and behavior to fit in with a culture that protects some awful behavior. it's not like you'd never get any friends if you were an independent, i did just fine. i guess i just see it as a moral choice.
Congratulations? I'm sure you have never adjusted a behavior to be more socially acceptable, not one.