Are you tired of reducing masculinity into the two nonsensical, made-up categories known as “alpha” and “beta” males?
Well, a viral Twitter post on Monday drew the internet’s attention to the term “sigma male,” another exciting and innovative way in which society can limit masculine expression.
The Twitter post highlights media which reduces the broad spectrum of masculinity into a rigid hierarchy, composed of “alpha,” “beta,” and “sigma” males, so that men can understand and accept our place in society, without ever considering ourselves as ... you know, human beings with unlimited potential.
What is an Alpha Male?
For those who are unfamiliar with manhood mythology, the concept of an alpha male is based on the absurdly illogical belief that groups of humans resemble a wolf pack, destined to be led by an aggressive, domineering leader, AKA, the “alpha.”
Not only is this not how humans operate, it’s not even how wolf packs function; the now-debunked theory was based on observations of wolves living in captivity, and subsequent studies of wild wolves concluded that wolf behavior was far more nuanced than a binary between an alpha and his cowering subordinates.
But the correction came too late - the concept of an alpha male stuck around, firmly embedded in pop culture, an ideology that can justify oppressive hierarchies and reduce people to empty stereotypes. The alpha male is practically a star sign, imbued with hint of incel ideology, used to confirm poisonous perspectives and exaggerate pre-existing insecurities.
What is a Sigma Male?
A sigma male is, essentially, an introverted alpha male, offering misguided men a chance to place themselves at the very top of this imaginary hierarchy, without the loud, boisterous personality that an “alpha” boasts.
Examples of a sigma male apparently include John Wick, because who doesn't want to compare themselves to a cool, composed assassin? Although, when it comes to choosing a role model that exemplifies a non-existent category of manhood, one could do a lot worse than Keanu Reeves.
Other made-up categories include: beta, gamma and omega males, all of whom are placed towards the bottom of the hierarchy, meaning that they are unlikely to find financial stability, or attract a sexual partner.
If you haven’t noticed, this reductive line of thinking is exactly how pick-up artists view the world; it’s about as insightful as a Buzzfeed quiz that categorizes humans into different flavors of Starbucks syrup.
Will the sigma male prove to be as influential (and misleading) as the alpha?
Perhaps - Twitter is pretty good at popularizing poorly thought-out ideas.
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January 27, 2021 at 04:23AM
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The Pseudoscience Behind The ‘Sigma Male,’ Explained - Forbes
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