Power and Alphas

I’ve read for weeks now around the net people opining what a “true” alpha is, vis-à-vis the behavior of men.

First, I’m kind of skeptical of oversimplifications such as “Alpha” or “Beta” or the like. They may be useful to describe – broad brush – the behavior of animals. Human behaviors tend to be a bit more complex. I’ll bite, though.

On of the fatal flaws of most of these analysis has been to attempt to insert morality into a descriptor of animal, law of the jungle, behavior. The “Alpha/Beta/Gamma/etc” meme works well in the animal kingdom, as they have no morality. In these analysis, therefore, people have tried to come up with pious pronouncements that “The True Alpha is ____________” (Insert noble descriptor of choice.)

No.

Morality hasn’t got jack or shit to do with it. The “true alpha” is concerned with one thing: Power. That, and the fact that they couldn’t accept a secondary role, even to another, bigger alpha, to save their life. Witness the wolfpack. The Beta who has been Alpha pro tem becomes a beta again when the alpha takes over. When the alpha is overthrown, he goes rogue.

Now, if you want to define the long term success of an alpha, and the ability to win enthusiastic support, even when he is past his physical prime, we have a whole ‘nother conversation. That morality in there, that sense of responsibility, has something to do with that. The right proper son of a bitch, though, is no less an alpha for his lack of those characteristics. Obedience is obedience, even if the motivator is fear. Hell, for that matter, fear of disappointing your alpha, or fear of him ripping your throat out, is still fear.

No matter how well formed the moral compass, though, the pushover is not an alpha. And any alpha big and bad enough can do pretty much as he pleases. Contrary to the fairy tales, the noble and moral smaller and not quite as badass alpha is just going to die at his teeth. He’s a tragic hero whose story is just waiting to be written.

But he’s still a dead, skull being used for a drinking cup by the bad guy, summbitch.

Pray Jesus God your alpha uses his power in a moral and responsible fashion, or attach yourself to alphas who do, but make no mistake – the power is a thing. It is amoral, independent of such considerations.