According to Mann, the fact that things often go wrong in the same disputes is partly due to a different tradition there. “A norm has arisen that it is normal to do that. And it is also expected a bit from the dejuvenators, otherwise you don’t quite belong.”
In addition, the seniors themselves often also had to undergo a less gentle initiation. “The thought is: we’ve done it, so the next generation should do it too. Otherwise it’s not fair.”
Woke Generation
But extreme hazing is out of date, says Mann. At universities, more and more attention is being paid to social safety and diversity. “That trend comes over from America, the woke-generation. I’m sure there will be people who say: figure it out with you woke, we just want our hazing. But a university will never promote and fund that. So if they want to survive and keep their connection to the university, they have to adapt.”
So change is in the air, but Mann has no illusions: there is a good chance that things will still go wrong in the future. Because exactly where the line should be drawn is not easy to determine for every senior.
“The fading of the norms in young people with a developing brain, under the influence of alcohol, sometimes drugs, is not always preventable. I think it is very difficult to eliminate it completely. There will always be things that happen that not be okay in such an association.”
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