[madgeylou]

uplift, i hear you and completely agree with what you are saying.

the idea is that uplift's view of "alpha-ism" (and what is with equating alpha-ism with "male spirit"? that's crap!) involves domination. it's man vs. nature, which is the major theme western societies have been acting out for the last few thousand years.

this dualism (man vs. nature, man being separate from nature, nature being something to be dominated) is largely ABSENT from aboriginal worldviews. for hundreds of thousands of years, human beings lived on this earth as every other animal does -- in harmony with it, in accordance with its laws.

since humans became "civilized" (which began with food surpluses and locking them up, according to daniel quinn), we have been "alpha"ing the crap out of it -- deciding which species live and which die; forcing our way of life on other humans or killing them if they would not accept it.

i believe what uplift is saying (and please correct me if i'm wrong) is that obviously this thought-mode of domination over nature and each other has not stood us in good stead. i mean, we are in a huge environmental crisis right now.

maybe the disconnect on this thread is that some of us feel "alpha" is about domination, whereas others feel it is about having a vision, sharing that vision, and inspiring other people to help make it reality.

i like the latter type of person much, much better myself. and i think that is what true leadership is about -- figuring out the solution that will work best for everyone, then carrying it out.