Women’s Health magazine recently did an article on Female Led Relationships (FLR). Of course, they didn’t use this term. I am guessing because they didn’t know it!
“But it looks like among us humans, the behavioral Alpha signals men can emit—machismo, cockiness, the aggressive protection of their place at the front of the pack—are getting progressively weaker and less common as women’s roles in relationships, jobs, and the economy become stronger and more central. With their traditional dominant, moneymaking position eroding, where does that leave men? Consider what might happen if the peacock didn’t bother to fan his spectacular plumage, if the ram could no longer muster the will to clash horns, if the mighty lion neglected his patrolling duties. Can humankind handle the diminishment of the Alpha Male?”
They show that females are graduating from high school and college at rates above males and other factors that are leading to more equilibrium in relationships and earning potential. Further, they touch male “unmovitation” in OTHER cultures and find that this is not solely an issue in Western culture. Also, Leonard Sax in Boys Adrift: The Five Factors Driving the Growing Epidemic of Unmotivated Boys and Underachieving Young Men; states that this is not a consequence of women’s achievements. He talks about it being the result of the lack of rituals around manhood; which is also discussed in another book King Warrior Magician Lover: Rediscovering the Archetypes of the Mature Masculine (Moore and Gillette).
It was suggested that Edward read this book (by Moore and Gillette) by his mentor, Elegant. Not for any particular reason, simply as background reading. So, of course, I had to read it as well. It delves into masculine archetypes, rituals, their meanings, their absence, and the profound impact a lack of ritual can have on an individual and therefore a culture. It discusses the difference between boy and man psychology and how these are interrelated with the archetypes and rituals. I found this book to be discussing the same concepts as I am trying to communicate when I discuss boys, guys, and men. Overall, the themes are interesting; but the book can get VERY “intellectual” and sometimes the authors seem to forget who their audience is: regular people or academics. I understand that they were trying to please both; but they may have missed the mark by not writing two books!
The Alpha Male was always a stereotype that I wouldn’t have wanted to live with for very long. I want well-rounded, interesting people in My life. A lack of or abundance of talent in a particular arena does not make you a man or a women; the lack of desire to try things makes you uninteresting though! I am perfect at NOTHING; I am willing to try and fail (most things – NOT bungee jumping or skydiving) though.
© 2009, Lady HotchKiss. All rights reserved.
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