Meme Thread... no politics

screw adding fuel to the fire, just have a line walking meme

In reply to Duke :

Yep, you are confusing alpha with shiny happy person or possibly narcissist. 

Oxford. "a man tending to assume a dominant or domineering role in social or professional situations."

There is one in every group. Not understanding it doesn't change the facts. 

In reply to Steve_Jones :

I did not know those existed. 

In reply to Duke :

I am unclear what wolves have to do with humans.

In reply to bobzilla :

I tried twice to change the subject, IBTL.  

In reply to Duke :

So you are discussing wolves? 

What color are the Wolves? I'm really lost. 

914Driver said:

Actually, they look like this. 

Or even like this. 
 

In reply to Toyman! :

Instead of being purposely dense, have some nice light lemon meringue pie:

Or whatever flavor you prefer.

Duke said:

In reply to Toyman! :

Instead of being purposely dense, have some nice light lemon meringue pie:

 

Or whatever flavor you prefer.

 

I have an aunt who makes what the family calls pucker pie. While good, it's almost painful. 

In reply to Duke :

That pie is only half white. 

RX Reven' said:

...and then there's the fundamental issue of the alpha male concept being debunked.

It traces back to a study of wolves that were held in captivity and the behavior hasn't been observed in the wild.

The original author of the study has spent years trying to bury the myth unsuccessfully.

IFL Science - December 2, 2022  

Anyone that's had more than one canine at a time can assure you there are alphas, there are betas. One dog will always assume the pack leader role over the others, which is why it is important for the humans to take that role or you end up with multiple unruly dogs that don't listen to anything you say and ignore commands. For us it's always been females (wife hates the "way they pee and their pee pee when they get excited"). 

In reply to bobzilla :

Although that behavior may not be entirely applicable to wild wolfs, it's clearly present in other animals, like chickens.  Pecking order is very much a thing!

Proof that chickens and wolves can harmoniously enjoy candy together

Steve_Jones said:

In reply to Duke :

That pie is only half white. 

I'm trying to be inclusionary of diversity.

bobzilla said:

Anyone that's had more than one canine at a time can assure you there are alphas, there are betas. One dog will always assume the pack leader role over the others, which is why it is important for the humans to take that role or you end up with multiple unruly dogs that don't listen to anything you say and ignore commands.

I have 4 cats and pretty much always have.  There is a leader cat in the clouder, as well.  We also have female cats, so we can joyfully leave gender out of it.

But again, as Toyman's leadership meme pointed out, a leader is not by definition an "alpha" in this sense:

Toyman! said:

Oxford. "a man tending to assume a dominant or domineering role in social or professional situations."

Let's pick the first word I highlighted above, and visit the Oxford E D:

 
dominant, adj. & n.  "Exercising chief authority or rule: ruling, governing, commanding; most influential."

OK, there's some data.  But note that third synonym:  commanding.  Must all leaders be commanding to lead?  Some do, some don't.  Differing situations call for different leadership techniques.  Valid.

Now let's move on to the second word I highlighted in Toyman's Oxford defnintion:

domineering, adj.  "Ruling arbitrarily or imperiously; tyrannical, despotic; overbearing, insolent."

Hmmmmm.  Kinda speaks to that whole "alpha male as douchebag" thing, doesn't it?  I mean, technically that's a leader because they've proclaimed themselves to be one and inflicted their dominance on others around them.

But that sure doesn't sound like "leading quietly by example" to me.  It sounds exactly like the kind of person I was shooting at with the original meme.

aircooled said:

In reply to bobzilla :

Although that behavior may not be entirely applicable to wild wolfs, it's clearly present in other animals, like chickens.  Pecking order is very much a thing!

Absolutely. To say that it has been refuted in its entirety reminds me of "The Science".

In reply to Toyman! :

Lemon Meringue Ice Cream Pie.  You won't look at pie again.  =~ )