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The Myth of the Alpha Male [by Pop Culture Detective] (www.youtube.com)

submitted 2 weeks ago by solo@slrpnk.net to c/breadtube@slrpnk.net

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cross-posted from: https://lemmy.blahaj.zone/post/26908581

There’s no such thing as an “alpha male.” It’s a false myth with no bases in biology or science. That fact, however, hasn’t stopped the pseudoscience behind a natural dominance hierarchy among men from spreading like a virus through our media culture.

Since bell hooks' book is mentionned, I thought of adding a link to listen and/or download it.

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[–] LibertyLizard@slrpnk.net 3 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

I was hoping he’d do more of a debunking on the scientific side of things but I guess he’s not an anthropologist.

[–] massive_bereavement@fedia.io 7 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

From the zoology perspective, it is often infuriating how many times I have to re-explain that there's no such a thing as an alpha male* in wolves. So if there was a simple video about that subject, I'll gladly take it.

But the think is, it is a lie that is repeated ad nauseam in most media (even kids books about wolves).

Still, I do like Pop Culture Detective, altogether with Folding Ideas is part of my high-brow Youtube time.

Do not ask about my low-brow Youtube time, it is not a place of honor.

*As in it doesn't mean what you think it means.

just in case: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/is-the-alpha-wolf-idea-a-myth/

[–] LibertyLizard@slrpnk.net 4 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (1 children)

Thanks. I agree this video was good, just not quite what I was looking for.

I think the issue is that while the wolf stuff is well debunked at this point, the myth has grown well beyond wolves at this point and is widely assumed to be part of human nature.

I haven’t seen a great debunking alpha social dynamics in specifically humans. If anyone has one, please share.

[–] solo@slrpnk.net 1 points 2 weeks ago

I have the impression that in order to find a satisfying debunking of the kind, maybe you should look into social darwinism and eugenics. In a way, it's through these pseudoscientific approaches that the stereotypes reguarding colonial hierarchies were established as 'scientific', and created the room for relevant assumptions to take hold of future societies. I say this because I don't believe there is something more to debunk about the 'alpha wolf': it doesn't even apply to wolfs.

Of course, one could look back further for relevant patriachical non-sense.

Anyways, just a few thoughts.

[–] HarvesterOfEyes@piefed.social 1 points 2 weeks ago

So if there was a simple video about that subject, I'll gladly take it

Something like this?. Seems to be pretty simple and accessible to me, as someone who knows next to nothing about it.