Fairly regularly I read the label 'Beta' used to denote negative traits or behaviors in guys. Some times it is used in reference to things that are specifically beta: asking a girl where she would like to eat on a date; while other times is used simply to say 'not alpha'. While these are reasonable uses and largely correct, I don't think they fail to do us the service of properly defining beta.

Considering how much effort is spent in understanding alpha, I have seen little discussion on exactly what beta is and why is exists. I do recall one article discussing this way back in the early days of this sub. It talked about betas having their own sexual strategy rather than simply being flunked out alphas. Essentially, in the times before feminism, beta's did pretty well. Women wanted them because they were providers and stayed with them because of marriage. Obviously that has all changed now that women are free to wander off the moment they get the scent of the alpha cock, but it's important to remember.

Beta is not simply all things un-alpha. In a recent conversation stemming from this photo, people generally called pegging beta. While I agree that it is not alpha, its not beta either. If we look at beta as a sexual strategy, pegging doesn't really fit in anywhere. It's its simply 'un-masculine'.

I propose a new way of using the terms alpha and beta. An alpha is a male who derives more value from sexual interaction than he puts in, A beta provides more value than he receives. He provides resource benefit to the woman and she provides sexual access.

That is a sexual strategy that works remarkably well under the right conditions. In a resource scarce environment a beta would be a woman's best bet for successful reproduction. In that scenario and alpha, while attractive, would be too high risk as they tend not to provide for offspring.

Of course today the beta is playing a losing game. The beta sexual strategy is no longer effective. What we have is an environment of plenty, and that means women can start shopping for the strongest genetics over the best providers. Like the birds of paradise men are now selected to be flashy show things. only the high risk, high yield, alpha game works. But let us not forget the value of the beta and all he once was.

EDIT I think TehGinjaNinja had a fairly good explanation that says things a little more succinctly