The Alpha and the Sigma

A key distinction in today's mid-term election. The chart below recently came up in my Facebook feed. It is from Steve Jabba, the man who tells guys how to get laid. I find though that it has a much broader application. 

It represents the authoritarian v. the democratic ideals. The Alpha scale is how our animal heritage operates, with a dominant male at the top where all others must submit to that authority. Whereas the Sigma male (and female for that matter) more represents democracy, where we recognize our interdependence with each other and the environment. They are self-actualized in Maslow's* terms and seek to help others attain that accomplishment. It's a democratic ideal where through education and training we become responsible and active citizens in the democratic process. Being Sigma is much more the ideal of the collaborative commons.

* Maslow's model is also a hierarchy. Yet according to Eisler it is an actualization hierarchy v. Jabba's dominator variety. It also relates to Lakoff's strict father v. nurturing parents model.