The establishment of Sigma Chi was a protest against artificiality and false pretense, a plea for personal independence, for congeniality and genuine friendship as the only natural basis of associations in a collegiate brotherhood. The Founders’ unfortunate experience in Delta Kappa Epsilon, which they saw as a group focused on conformity for political gain, stirred their hearts and their spirit. They found it a necessity to allow and accept differences in points of views and opinions, realizing that doing so brought opportunities and pleasures. This “spirit” became documented as The Spirit of Sigma Chi, although the creation date and author is unknown.
The Spirit calls for men who are inherently different, as Sigma Chi is not a fraternity that seeks members who are all alike. It was the Founders’ belief that a fraternity that had members of “different temperaments, talents and convictions” would thrive better than the fraternity that had members who are alike.
Though The Spirit welcomes and encourages disparity among the fraternity’s brothers, it is expected that all members, in their differences, remain responsible, honorable, courteous, friendly — indeed all those characteristics that are also listed in The Jordan Standard.
The Spirit of Sigma Chi
The Spirit of Sigma Chi, as conceived by the Founders more than 168 years ago yet visible and alive today, is based on the theory that
- friendship among members sharing a common belief in an ideal and possessing different temperaments, talents and convictions,
- is superior to friendship among members having the same temperaments, talents, and convictions, and that
- genuine friendship can be maintained without surrendering the principle of individuality or sacrificing one's personal judgement.
Debunking the Myth
It is important that the concept of “different temperaments, talents and convictions” not be misunderstood to mean that one can take any action they choose and write it off as “being different.”
It is not a license for bad behavior.
The strength of this concept is to bring people of different types together for the common good of all. This is an extremely important distinction, and it should be re-emphasized that we expect that all members, in their differences, will remain responsible, honorable gentlemen.
The Norman Shield, 49th Edition