Hacker News Reader

Comment by Retra | Hacker News Reader

How is this hazing?

I was commenting more the reaction the HN crowd seems to present when someone dares to say this sounds like something they would be uncomfortable with, because that's very much the same one I remember from school. Of course in school you can't downvote, but the responses and dismissing attitude ("there's nothing wrong with the practice if you're not having fun with it") are eerily similar.

I mean technically this would be considered hazing. According to the "student handbook" of my alma mater hazing was defined as "making someone do something they do not want to do as requirement of membership" (paraphrasing here).

Personally, as a previous member of a greek organization, I find the definition ridiculous as it would qualify having prospective members study/be tested on the history of the organization as hazing.

Yeah, that definition is overly broad. Hazing requires harassment, embarrassment, or some other kind of abuse. Asking someone's underwear color is only harassment if they've got a history of inappropriate behavior, and embarrassment only if they've got serious socialization problems. Neither of which would reasonably be expected to be accounted for when asking the question in this situation.

> Asking someone's underwear color is only harassment if they've got a history of inappropriate behavior,

Try it work and see how far you get.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com