how do you define an Alpha Male?

[hamix]

Most literature I see on the subject is:

- A man who knows what he wants and does what he wants
- Is assured in his own skin
- Doesn't let people rile him up, but doesn't let others roughshot him
- Has it together and is responsible for all areas of his life

[brendannz]

- Doesnt care whether people regard him as an alpha male or not.

Seriously, it seems like a pretty old concept to me, but I think I'm a pretty alternative kind of guy, so that's why it seems that way to me.

[NoJobRob]

or



or



LOL

I think there's a difference between true alpha's, and guys who just want to be alphas. The wannabe's tend to be less classy, while the true alphas don't let their success go to their heads. They still treat people with respect because they're mature enough to know that there's a difference between an alpha and an aye-hole. Being an aye-hole doesn't make you an alpha. The aye-hole wannabe alphas are just scared children on the inside, and have a lot of insecurities eating away at them, hence all the needed ego stroking. True alphas are above that.

This is all assuming one subscribes to the alpha paradigm, of course. I don't know if I do, but if I do then these are my beliefs.

[ButterflyWoman]

"Alpha male" originally referred to the "top dog" in a wolf pack (there's also an alpha female). So, basically, it's the dominant male in a group, the leader, and the one a lesser-ranked dog is going to have to take on in order to advance in the pack.

So, apply that to a human male, and there's your answer.

[Clint Cora]

I'm sure that there are female versions as well

[Beingist]

Labels are bull ... well, you know.

[hamix]

Originally Posted by ButterflyWoman

"Alpha male" originally referred to the "top dog" in a wolf pack (there's also an alpha female). So, basically, it's the dominant male in a group, the leader, and the one a lesser-ranked dog is going to have to take on in order to advance in the pack.

So, apply that to a human male, and there's your answer.

really? But humans are not pack animals, and we're not led by the strongest and most able. Obama is not US president since he's the physically toughest. lol....

Top 10: Signs You're Not An Alpha Male - AskMen This webpage lends on leadership, but not being a bully.

[elucidate]

Originally Posted by hamix

really? But humans are not pack animals, and we're not led by the strongest and most able. Obama is not US president since he's the physically toughest. lol....

Since when did strongest and most able equal physically toughest?

[aelle]

Originally Posted by hamix

really? But humans are not pack animals, and we're not led by the strongest and most able. Obama is not US president since he's the physically toughest. lol....

Top 10: Signs You're Not An Alpha Male - AskMen This webpage lends on leadership, but not being a bully.

We sure are social animals.

And the funny thing is that the science of canine behavior has progressed since the term was coined in the 70s, and that even in dogs, the stereotypical big-teethed lone-wolf alpha does not exist. The dog in charge of resources (food) (the most accepted definition of alpha) is rarely the physically toughest of the pack. He can actually be quite scrawny. He doesn't particularly get preferential treatments. He doesn't get into fights (betas fight. Alphas are typically not challenged in normal conditions). It's just somehow understood in the pack that he is the dog that deals with all things food related, and that means more responsibilities than privileges. Basically being an alpha dog is about nannying the rest of the pack so that they don't starve.

That was your nerdy dog-related minute. Extrapolate to human leaders at will.

[Rezzy7]

You don't. The alpha male defines himself.

[LifeFirst]

Originally Posted by ButterflyWoman

"Alpha male" originally referred to the "top dog" in a wolf pack (there's also an alpha female). So, basically, it's the dominant male in a group, the leader, and the one a lesser-ranked dog is going to have to take on in order to advance in the pack.

So, apply that to a human male, and there's your answer.

You mean like Hitler, Mussolini, Ayatollah, Kim Jong il, Gadahfi, Khameni, Mao, Stalin.....those guys right?

[elucidate]

Originally Posted by LifeFirst

You mean like Hitler, Mussolini, Ayatollah, Kim Jong il, Gadahfi, Khameni, Mao, Stalin.....those guys right?

I'm not sure if Megalomaniac personalities can be considered alpha males?

[ButterflyWoman]

Originally Posted by hamix

really?

Yes.

Originally Posted by hamix

But humans are not pack animals

We are extremely socially oriented, because we're primates. Primates have alpha males, too.

Originally Posted by hamix

and we're not led by the strongest and most able.

Depends on what you mean by "led" and what sort of social group you're talking about.

But I'm not the one who started using the term "alpha male" to apply to humans, so I'm not the one to be arguing about its anthropological and social implications. Personally, I've always thought it was a fairly pointless label, except in a very broad metaphorical sense.

Originally Posted by aelle

Basically being an alpha dog is about nannying the rest of the pack so that they don't starve.

Yes. And an alpha who isn't taking the job of looking after the pack seriously gets demoted, because the others know he's not doing his job (or she; there is generally an alpha female, as well).

[hamix]

Originally Posted by aelle

We sure are social animals.

And the funny thing is that the science of canine behavior has progressed since the term was coined in the 70s, and that even in dogs, the stereotypical big-teethed lone-wolf alpha does not exist. The dog in charge of resources (food) (the most accepted definition of alpha) is rarely the physically toughest of the pack. He can actually be quite scrawny. He doesn't particularly get preferential treatments. He doesn't get into fights (betas fight. Alphas are typically not challenged in normal conditions). It's just somehow understood in the pack that he is the dog that deals with all things food related, and that means more responsibilities than privileges. Basically being an alpha dog is about nannying the rest of the pack so that they don't starve.

That was your nerdy dog-related minute. Extrapolate to human leaders at will.

Yes, we are social animals, so what? Primate bands are led by the strongest male, and we are not like that exactly. My Obama example stands since he did not prove he is the strongest male in the US.

[hamix]

Originally Posted by ButterflyWoman

Yes.


We are extremely socially oriented, because we're primates. Primates have alpha males, too.


Depends on what you mean by "led" and what sort of social group you're talking about.

But I'm not the one who started using the term "alpha male" to apply to humans, so I'm not the one to be arguing about its anthropological and social implications. Personally, I've always thought it was a fairly pointless label, except in a very broad metaphorical sense.


Yes. And an alpha who isn't taking the job of looking after the pack seriously gets demoted, because the others know he's not doing his job (or she; there is generally an alpha female, as well).

Is our behaviour exact to apes? Is there a human society (whether today or ever has been) led by the physically most able?

[Danil]

Hi, all!
If we consider a behavior in social group that person will become an alpha male who ready to go in any conflict further than other members of the group. Very interesting that alpha male have not really go further than others in a conflict. He only must demonstrate this readiness. And, of course, he must be ready to make this act in a conflict.

For example, if all members of social group abuse each other during the conflict, pretender to alpha male must be ready to hit an opponent. If all members of social group start to hit each other, this person must be ready to bring a serious damage to an opponent, even kill him.

I’ve read this information during my study of sociology. It was a description of some interesting experiment with gorillas.

[ButterflyWoman]

Originally Posted by hamix

Is our behaviour exact to apes?

No. But there are strong similarities. Very strong, in some cases.

Originally Posted by hamix

Is there a human society (whether today or ever has been) led by the physically most able?

Probably a number of them, if we're considering sub-cultures. Humans are not limited in their social organisation to things like countries and corporations. There is tremendous variation in the experience of human society.

But, again, I don't think the phrase "alpha male" is a particularly useful label when talking about complex or subtle human social interaction. I said that. I'm saying it again.

[Brutha]

Give a random guy on the street the images of two candidates that run for being a US senator.
Ask him with of the two appears most powerful.

If I remember right there something like a 60% chance that the guy who get's judged as most powerful wins the race.

Is there a human society (whether today or ever has been) led by the physically most able?

In human societies power doesn't derive directly from physical strength.
It's still power.

[Danil]

Originally Posted by hamix

really? But humans are not pack animals, and we're not led by the strongest and most able. Obama is not US president since he's the physically toughest. lol....

Historically, we are pack animals. But occurrence of alpha male is typical for small social groups. What is small social group? It is group of which all members have permanent direct contact to each other. Of course, human society had outgrown this study of its existence many times ago and had established more perfect ways for regulation of connections in the society.

So we can use a term of alpha male to describe an activity small social group where group members look to each other and can’t do it when we describe large human populations (nations, for example) or human society in general.

And I’m sure that American President is alpha male in his team, in his narrow cycle. Because he is a leader. And I agree that alpha male is not only physically strongest person. This man must to combine inner power, physical power, high intellect, charisma, may be anything else, in himself.