Both sides: What is an Alpha?

vitringur · 2016-02-16T13:58:29+00:00

Edit: Keep in mind that "alpha" is a term used to describe wolves and other pack animals. I doubt that any anthropologists use it to describe institutions of human society.

I'm not even sure biologists agree anymore if there are alphas amongst wolves or not.

flaffl21 · 2016-02-16T15:23:47+00:00

Let's actually tackle this question without subscribing to heteronormative stereotypes! Dare I say it might be objective?

So what defines this concept of alpha? Let's first take a look at it from a lexical point of view. We should hopefully all know that 'alpha' is the first letter of the Greek alphabet. As a result, the English language has also accepted 'alpha' to carry the properties of the first or being the first, due to its linguistic roots.

Now let's talk about how that applies to people! More than anything else, being alpha starts within oneself. To me, it's not about personality traits like being driven, confident, or ambitious. Take that concept of 'alpha' as a word again, except add in the most important part of the equation: you! Being alpha is about simply being comfortable in your own skin, with your life, and whatever endeavors you pursue. If you enjoy what you do, others will feed off that energy and follow suit. Setting the goal of achieving what's best for yourself first is what being alpha is all about. Because once you do that, then you can move on to making others lives better. And that, to me, is what's most alpha.

bones_and_love · 2016-02-16T10:09:52+00:00

TRP uses a circular definition... they define alpha as what attracts a woman and then complain that women don't like betas (which are defined as not alpha).

If TRP's hypothesis is that women like men who are healthy, fit, and put together well, I'm not sure anyone is really arguing against that. I'm also not sure why an entire subreddit is dedicated to "exposing" that vacuous truth.

What defines an attractive man (forgive me but I have to strip your question of its weird jargon)? It varies from person to person, but there are some reoccurring themes. Healthy and fit were already mentioned. What's well put together?

They are socially aware -- decent at talking and dress unlike a high school student. Socially aware is a big one... it also means they won't share inappropriately intimate things about themselves too quickly, and they won't act out of the bounds of unspoken expectations. Just like you know not to slap a chick you just met on the butt, they also know not to go for the kiss if the mood isn't right.

They know fun things to do, and they do fun things. They're emotionally healthy, free of extreme bouts of sadness or anger. They can take care of themselves and do. Taking care of yourself automatically pulls in that whole host of typical descriptions from confidence to success and charm (again, socially aware...). Otherwise, they'd fall fast and not be taking care of themselves. All of that implies more than an absence of extreme sadness/anger, they're most likely at peace with themselves and happy. The only unrest is a push to do better. That's determination and certainty that things will improve, which is really different from related but bad complaining, entitlement, self-loathing, and self-pity.

Success isn't purely defined economically. They have interested and move toward them. A relative of success might be interests and hobbies. Even if they have no success yet, they at least know a lot about their hobbies and interests, not just someone who bought a 1 month gym membership and then calls himself a bodybuilder. That type of foundation is a precursor to being successful -- in fact, at a certain point, a hobby might earn someone that feeling of having succeeded.

Interversity · 2016-02-16T08:01:48+00:00

Keep in mind this is not really about potential attractiveness of alpha characteristics

Then it's not about 'alpha' at all. Alpha traits are attractive traits. I can't think of an alpha trait that isn't, generally, attractive; if you can, let me know.

But you asked for specifics.

IMO the key parts of 'alpha' are a good understanding and awareness of social dynamics and the games people play (this goes hand in hand with powertalk), as well as being aware of the races we're all engaged in - wealth, status, power, prestige, fame, sexual market value, relationship market value, etc. It's the whole concept of 'just get it' - the alphas just get it, the betas don't get it. TRP is, by one interpretation, an attempt to teach men how to 'get it'. In fact, allow me to quote from Models

The majority of this book is based on how to get “it” and how to convey “it” with women immediately, regardless of what you actually say or do.

People I would call 'betas' are either fundamentally unaware of one or both parts of the above definition, or choose to deny it (and thus wind up often unfulfilled, unhappy, without love, ad infinitum)

sittinginabaralone · 2016-02-16T12:51:53+00:00

A word that was once used to incorrectly describe the behavior of wolves that egos on the internet use to deflect attention from their insecurity.

you_done_messed_up · 2016-02-16T12:33:18+00:00

Male traits that most women find sexually desirable. (I.e. not necessarily as a long term provider but someone who makes their panties wet.)

You can look at men most women find sexually desirable and generalize from there. None of these are all or nothing, but more women will find them attractive than not.

confident, assertive
successful / popular with (other) women
physically fit
tall and/or physically dominant in other ways
socially dominant (leading rather than following or NGAF)
aggressive and risk taking
cocky, bad boy vibe
mysterious / interesting
demonstrating zero-fucks-given attitude about a great many things compared to the average male
dominant in bed
etc.

IVIaskerade · 2016-02-16T12:44:38+00:00

Principally, "Alpha" is high-level competence.

diFFzee · 2016-02-16T13:19:18+00:00

Alphas are leaders, successful people. Aside from how much sex they might get. Steve Jobs was alpha as fuck, but neither particularly attractive nor particularly sexual. Alpha-ness is just a collection of traits that make one man stand out from a group of men, that's it. And standing out (in a positive way) inherently makes him more "attractive" (even though not necessarily physically attractive).

sardonis70 · 2016-02-16T14:04:44+00:00

The term is thrown around so much as to lose meaning. My take on "alpha" is any man that quickly inspires female arousal. Not "one" female, but the kind of guy that gets most women's eye when he steps in the room. This is also a man that can convert that arousal into whatever he wants on a regular basis, whether its casual sex or relationships, he never struggles to find it.

Nemesinthe · 2016-02-16T09:20:22+00:00

Definitely not somebody who can call himself "alpha" without bursting into laughter.

yo_radical_one · 2016-02-16T09:48:59+00:00

There is no such thing.

The entire paradigm is false

alreadyredschool · 2016-02-16T12:24:50+00:00

High value man or gets laid a lot or is a leader.

About that leader thing, to be a good leader you need certain qualities and traits or nobody will follow you, these happen to be attractive, so again it's a high value, and since he is attractive he (or could get) gets laid a lot.

So what is a high value man - looks good, exciting, manly, risk taker, laid back, doesn't give a fuck, is generally fun to be around

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mc0079 · 2016-02-16T20:10:33+00:00

Alpha and Beta are used by so many different segments to mean so many different things they have lost all meaning.

EntitledShitHead · 2016-02-17T04:03:40+00:00

Alpha is someone who is outgoing and can lead a conversation. They know how to influence and motivate people. An alpha doesn't necessarily have to be confident, but they usually are and they see themselves as better than everyone else. An alpha isn't a try-hard, you know those people that tries really hard to impress others. It just comes natural to him and he doesn't seek any attention or validation.

Five_Decades · 2016-03-09T02:18:13+00:00

I consider myself red pill. I consider alpha to be competent at dealing with lifes setbacks and someone who values himself. Women have evolved to shit test fake alphas (since pretending to be alpha can get you laid and women who fell for it were at a disadvantage).

betterdeadthanbeta · 2016-02-16T08:14:44+00:00

Alphas are psychologically strong people. They arent needy, supplicating, unsure, nervous, etc. They know what/who they want, they have a plan to get it, and they execute.

Women gravitate towards strength. Status, wealth, a toned body, etc. are all markers of strength. But, inner strength is the "thing itself" which those markers signify, and which women crave (mostly because they, themselves, lack it).

moosemc · 2016-02-19T17:44:16+00:00

It is something irrelevant. I don't hear much about it outside of these subs.

I get that redpillers want to be one. But I don't think anybody else cares. I guess, if I see someone being thrown out of a place for being a jerk - I usually think alpha.

The guys who spend all day at the public library using the free internet to search for love on Plenty of Fish - those are alphas.

Alpha, to me means - can't adapt.

moosemc · 2016-02-19T18:13:07+00:00

But what's being asked here isn't about alphas.

Its about redpillers. Since every redpiller believes they're alphas, and nobody outside of these subs thinks about alphas much - we are actually being asked about redpillers.

Or am I wrong? Can you be a redpiller, without being an alpha?

Title	Both sides: What is an Alpha?
Author	natkatmac
Upvotes	1
Comments	44
Date	February 16, 2016 7:24 AM UTC (10 years ago)
Subreddit	Posted in /r/PurplePillDebate
Original Link	https://old.reddit.com/r/PurplePillDebate/comments/461ea7/both_sides_what_is_an_alpha/
Archive Link	https://theredarchive.com/r/PurplePillDebate/both-sides-what-is-an-alpha.276226 https://theredarchive.com/post/276226

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