Missing Link: GOP / Bush vs. Democrats, The Alpha Male Deficit

[norml]

Missing Link: GOP / Bush vs. Democrats, The Alpha Male Deficit

Editorial by Balletshooz


In the midst of the current battle between the "leftist" grassroots and the "moderate" DLC, this article interjects a missing link. Political leadership is not about mimicry of "tough" positions, nor is it about reactionary complaints and bomb-throwing. It is about the attitude of power.



The attitude of power has an evolutionary basis, one that is rooted in the signals of alpha masculinity, and it is sorely missing from both the Democratic establishment and the liberal rebels. This isn't about policy positions or ideology. It's about something more fundamental. It's about biology.



Call it toughness or brashness, chutzpah or machismo, iron guts, brass balls or just plain alpha maleness. Whatever you want to call it, to paraphrase Potter Stewart, you know it when you see it, and you know when it's not there. The time has never been more critical for liberals to defy expectations and show they've got it and attack conservatives for having none.



Since Election 2004, liberals have been agonizing over the shape of the Democratic Party and the fate of liberalism itself. Should they look for new policies or new personalities? Is the right demographic the "security moms" or the "values voters"? Is their salvation in the framing, in the heartland, or in the Bible?



http://www.bloggernews.net/showstory.asp?page=blognews/stories/UP0000466.txt

[nookiemonster]

1. Dr. Dean is setting that precedent.

Now we just need to get our fairweather Dems to notice.

It might take a proverbial 2x4 to knock some sense into them, but eventually it will sink in. I hope.

:)

[meg]

2. What a load of BS!

Bush and Cheney are prime examples of alpha-male wannabes. Neither had the courage of their "principles" to go to Vietnam and fight. Both enjoy war from the comforts of their 6-star accommodations.

No, the difference between Liberals and the GOP thugs is not Alpha male versus Beta male: the GOP thugs believe that they have the right to rule underlings in a very top-power-centric, hierarchical way. These thugs like to put their foot on your neck and look you in the eye while they abuse you. Liberals believe in personal power and shared power. Liberals like to help people rather than **** them.

[norml]

3. While cooperation is as much a part of survival as competition,

if we ignore the reality of the pecking order we will never master it.

[meg]

4. pecking order is one thing, being a thug is another

In a healthy organization people have roles that contribute to the wellbeing of all. Thugs do not contribute to the wellbeing of the group. Thugs are bullies who take for themselves without contributing back to the group. Think of the school bully taking a kids lunch money. The Bush group are thugs. They take our government resources and take and abuse power. They have done nothing positive for our government or the world.

Organization is one thing. Bullies are not part of a healthy structure.

[Lexingtonian]

5. this is horseshit

And I object to your spreading this OP to more forums.

No diatribe that claims "People are animals." as a political theory should be taken seriously.

[norml]

6. Though many have objected to such theories, people are indeed animals

Behavioral conditioning is another reality that must be understood in order to be overcome.

And I object to your objection to my reposting this must read article.