A completely random thread, sorry if I’m cluttering the internet with useless text.
I was reading about world cities and the GaWC ranks world cities as alpha, beta, and gamma. This got me to thinking about pheromones and PUA-related concepts. I’m sure we’re all familiar with the concept of alpha/beta males. If you aren’t…well I’m not gonna get into it here.
Either way, there have been numerous posts on the subject. I won’t get into all the details, but there seems to be a lot of people who don’t directly identify with being ‘beta’ or ‘alpha’. There seems to be a lack of middle ground. Perhaps it’s a bit superfluous to come up with a term for the in-between guys, but it seems like the hierarchy goes alpha/beta/gamma, not simply alpha/beta. Perhaps there are even 4 levels to the hierarchy (alpha/beta/gamma/delta - maybe we can drop the Greek ordering system). Either way, there are a lot of gray areas when it comes to identifying oneself as alpha or not alpha.
Some members are of the opinion that being ‘alpha’ is something you become or simply are. Others believe being ‘alpha’ means having a certain set of behavioral characteristics. Others believe that the primary facet to being an ‘alpha’ is your mindset. There seems to be just as much ambiguity about what an ‘alpha’ is as there seems to be about when you become an ‘alpha’. Likewise for ‘beta’. There seems to be certain beliefs about how a ‘beta’ should act. Since some of us don’t identify with being a ‘full alpha’ or being a ‘full beta’ and rather somewhere in between, it seems logical that the language to discuss the ‘in-between’ should exist.
It matters little whether ‘beta’ is “demoted” to ‘gamma’ or if ‘beta’ remains ‘beta’ and a new term is introduced.
Any thoughts? Perhaps it’s easier just to say that I’m not quite yet alpha but definitely not a beta either.
I do not think it is silly at all. I tend to lean more towards the alpha than beta at all times. I do know in some circumstances I am quite comfortable not being the alpha in charge. Just because I am not in charge does not make me beta though. I just know that I can get more done if I am not the one in charge. Working behind the scenes to make something happen is often much easier. In that case I will let someone else that is alpha step up and do as they wish. They have to know what they are doing however or it is likely to become a challenge. I do not suffer fools well.
Ponderu
i am like ponderu it is fun to work behind the seens sometimes i don’t like to take credit for something that i might have done just because it feels right. i think it is good to let others into the spotlight to show their stuff. I have noticed with a friend of mine we have a crazy mental connection in most situations we can tell what the other is thinking because we think alike and we can work together to make whatever it is that we are doing that much better, maybe we are both alpha males maybe we are not but we can take charge if need be.
There are few absolutes in life, and leadership roles are among the most liquid. Specially, your role as an alpha or beta is subject to change depending on the social or professional environment. At work you might be the lowest ranking guy–mailboy–among highly regarded and powerful executives, but the alpha male when you step into your house with your family. Likewise, you could be the iron fisted boss at work but a total kitty at home. Your 30 years younger wife has you pussy whipped and you enjoy bondage and punishment every weekend…
Being alpha is probably some combination of nature and nurture. That is, there are natural leaders but most need considerable training and experience to actually rise to a position of prominence. We all remember an alpha HS friend that was the captain of the football team but never graduated from college and ended up with a deadend job and a beergut. Not so alpha anymore. Also, opportunity has a lot to do with becoming alpha. Some mild mannered beta guys will assume an alpha role when pressed and, surprisingly, often do well.
So your social role as alpha, beta or whatever changes with the situation, with nurturing (“leadership train”) and may deteriorate as you age or are overtaken by better prepared and endowed competitors. We flow from alpha and beta like water. And this flexibility is an important social skill, otherwise we’d be in constant conflict or, at the least, there’d be too many chiefs and too few Indians.
Wow. Well, that pretty much says it all I guess. That’s why Gegogi’s got the big reps. BTW, Gegogi, am I mistaken in that meaning ‘dog meat’? Or is that Gaegogi?
Yep, Ge-gogi is Korean for dog meat. I was considering gochu-gogi (hot pepper meat, suggesting a stud), but decided it would be too long for people to type.
