OK through total ignorance to the mentioned topic.. what is the deal with these?

We don't have them as much as you guys do, if at all.. so I'm intrigued as to what they actually are/do?

From what you see on the TV Shows and Movies, they look to just be a load of rich arrogant kids living at University/College on their rich parents money striving to be popular at any means necessary and negating the existence of those not in a Fraternity or Sorority.. but I'm not too ignorant to believe that this is the sole objective.

I've had a read on Wikipedia, but I still don't really understand, so I come here to ask your opinions/experiences with them to gauge a better understanding.

At one point, I thought it was similar to being a Freemason!

---