The Inner Ring

The Inner Ring by CS Lewis is a piece that I completely agree with. It reinforces the saying "We adore those who ignore us and ignore those who adore us," a statement I have always agreed with but never understood. The inner circle, the coveted close-knit group of friends is something everyone wants, because it provides security. There is a lot that one has to sacrifice in order to reach the inner ring, the military examples reminded me of the hazings that take place at initiation for sororities and fraternities. Mostly everyone wants the close social relationships that being in a sorority or fraternity would give them, but the ridiculous things that they have to do for acceptance make it seem not even worth it. But people do it anyway, and continue the tradition of hazing freshman and recruiting during rush week. Why? Why would anyone put their health and reputation at risk to join a group of people that they will eventually grow sick of and want to get away from? A lot of times, people speak very highly of their sororities and fraternities, it helps them make friends and go to social events, which I understand, but it still follows the same principle of abandoning the friends and values you know for something completely different, something deemed more desirable. I do not think this ideal will ever really change, it is an inevitable occurrence with competition, and although it is difficult to understand why people cannot be satisfied with the company that they already keep, the inner ring helps to lay out a serious reality of society and human desire for improvement.