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I don't think there is even such a thing as an alpha or beta. Shouldn't that be apply in animals (esp. the wolf pack)? Instead of alpha the right word apply should be assertive man. As for beta, it should just be reserve as an introverted one that doesn't like arguments.
Those terms really aren't anything more than that... so what's the problem?
The only lame part about those terms is the fact how much people obsess over them.
An alpha male is nothing more than a confident dude who takes control of his own life and doesn't worry about people. A beta is someone who is weak and lets other people walk over him.
If this were true, I might agree "alpha" and "beta" were acceptable shorthand. But it isn't true.
An an awful lot of so-called "alpha" behavior is, in fact, motivated by the need to impress people. Alpha males' swagger is often a form of display, a way for them to win the approval of their male peers. By contrast, a lot of so-called "beta" males are just being themselves, following their own interests. For this, they are ridiculed and judged inferior.
The OP is right. This stupid alpha vs. beta male meme needs to be challenged.
If this were true, I might agree "alpha" and "beta" were acceptable shorthand. But it isn't true.
An an awful lot of so-called "alpha" behavior is, in fact, motivated by the need to impress people. Alpha males' swagger is often a form of display, a way for them to win the approval of their male peers. By contrast, a lot of so-called "beta" males are just being themselves, following their own interests. For this, they are ridiculed and judged inferior.
The OP is right. This stupid alpha vs. beta male meme needs to be challenged.
Huh? Who gives a crap about "traits displayed"? lol.
They are just shorthand, the people who take it further than that are the ones who suck.
What is the value of new adjectives that say the same thing that the old ones said? Rich and poor, tall and short, just arbitrary and relativistic memes. In fact, I'm getting tired of "new" and "old", so we need some new (oops) adjectives for those, too. And "I" and "you" are getting stale, too, so maybe we need some new pronouns while we're at it..
No one uses alphas and betas in the real world. People are attracted to different things. People use the alpha/beta excuse as to why they can or cant get women. Some people are quiet and shy. Thats just who they are, they may be great leaders and have confidence but they dont feel the need to be the life of the party or act in such and such a way.
I see what your trying to do but replace new labels with new words does not really help. To stop it you got to point to the society the exemplifies certain traits and demonizes others.
Its more so of you have to challenge the perverse views of how males should act and what is expected of them before you challenge Alpha and Beta trying to find the source of the problem not replace it with better sounding words.
There are many more constructive--not to mention less crude--ways to describe social roles. Neither term "alpha" or "beta" are used often, in a positive context. Alpha is usually self-labeled and includes frequent stories about the person's confrontational, disagreeable, and often boorish behavior, while beta is either used as a slam by a so-called alpha, or self labeled by tragic, beaten down types. Both have negative connotations.
I don't think there is even such a thing as an alpha or beta. Shouldn't that be apply in animals (esp. the wolf pack)? Instead of alpha the right word apply should be assertive man. As for beta, it should just be reserve as an introverted one that doesn't like arguments.
I won't argue the propriety of applying those terms to human social behavior, but you are correct, they definitely do exist within the animal kingdom.
I've been guilty of using the term "alpha male". It's just an easy way of describing a male who does tend to be the "leader of the pack". I've seen examples of this too many times in my personal life not to think there is something to it.
Could we be more specific in describing people? Sure, but why do we always need to go into legnthy descriptions?
As for the term "beta"...it makes me think of fish.
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