To stand by or take initiative...

"The bystander effect or Genovese syndrome is a social psychological phenomenon that refers to cases where individuals do not offer any means of help in an emergency situation to the victim when other people are present. The probability of help has in the past been thought to be inversely related to the number of bystanders; in other words, the greater the number of bystanders, the less likely it is that any one of them will help."


It happens every day of our lives.  Whether it's failure to help someone in dire need or simply letting apathy stifle one's voice, everyone has been a bystander. I know I have been! Many times I let my shyness get the better of me and fail to speak up for what I believe in, whether in class, club meetings, or in a social setting. One example that I'll borrow from my roommate was when one of her professor's was making inappropriate, bigoted remarks during class. She kept silent for fear of retribution, but later talked about how she wished she had spoken up.  I know, for me, that same cause contributes to almost all instances of the "bystander effect." Fear of "punishment" or being made an outcast by peers or from an authority figure prompts me to hold back my ideas and opinions. I, personally, place a huge value on circumspection. To me, there's contributing to discussion with relevancy and brainstorming effectively, and then there's spewing any random idea that crosses your mind into the mix, wasting time and causing frustration. Personally, I'm fearful of crossing the boundary between the two, so I usually err on the far more conservative side.


The bystander effect is not without its implications to the Greek community.  The consequences range from the marginal to the detrimental. How many times have I witnessed or been a part of the apathy at chapter meetings, especially when voting on documents occurs. So many times important literature or regulations are unanimously voted in, without any real understanding of what they are. This is one of the least significant impacts - most of the time, those things being voted on are either minor or beneficial - but this apathy can quickly spread and become a recurring thing in other, more important, aspects of Greek life. Take any social or TG, for example. There will always be those few girls (perhaps repeat offenders, perhaps not) who get a little too drunk and a little too out of control. No one says anything. Why? No one wants to be that wet blanket, and maybe the girl is in safe company, is someone who would resent being told to slow down, etc. But then, at the end of the night, what will happen? Maybe she'll return home safely. Maybe she'll trip on the street and make a fool of herself. Maybe she won't make it home at all. Our reputation as a Greek community is "that sister/brother." Currently toeing the line between "pretty buzzed" and "sh*t-faced," it's up to us to decide if we're going to say something before "they have that one last beer." "Their" life, the Greek community's life, depends on it.