Hazing, #piggate and other secret rites: the psychology of extreme group rituals
by Joanna Walters from on (#NXGP)
As the UK reacts to allegations about David Cameron in his youth, the US grapples with tragic results of brutal initiation ceremonies - practices with strong ties to class structure and demonstrations of masculinity, experts say
Where were you when #piggate broke? Did you squeal with laughter and disbelief? Did you shamefully recall some embarrassing youthful memories of your own?
Public reaction to Lord Ashcroft's claims about David Cameron has ranged from shrieks to mere shrugs, but the story also offered a fresh glimpse into the mystique of the elite. Whether harmless or destructive, such rites take place in social contexts that are breeding grounds for unbridled behavior.
