Some people believe that such acts of giving serve to bring a group together. The “helper’s high” associated with benefiting the lives of others is enhanced in the context of a group experience. As some people have conveyed on numerous occasions in their writings and workshops, engaging in these “contributory activities” nurtures one’s sense of compassion, caring, dignity, and accomplishment.
They would prefer that new members join a group within an atmosphere filled with these positive emotions rather than emotions associated with humiliation and fear. As parents, educators, and other professionals, we have the responsibility of ensuring that no child or adolescent is subjected to hazing or its counterpart, bullying. It is a responsibility that deserves our full attention. Rather, they could involve age-appropriate activities in which the group helps others such as clearing a playground of debris, building a house through the auspices of Habitat for Humanity, teaching younger children sports skills, or helping to raise money for a selected charity.