Is there a difference between a Dom and an Alpha

[AlphaWolf_01]

New here. 

Just wanting to get your opinion, is there truly a difference between being Dom and Alpha?  

I think there is, but recently I'm not as sure. An Alpha to me is the one of the two that pays more attention to aftercare. Which up to joining here I would have said your typical Dom didn't.

 

Please tell me your thoughts.

Thanks 

[TheBookCollector]

The whole Alpha, beta, gamma, omega meme is BS.

Even it it was a real way of classifing people, in what sense do you apply it, someone can be an Alpha in a group of friends out of work but a Beta or gamma in work as hes just the post boy.

In the ***, world it has more sense as ***s generally live in contexts of the pack, humans dont.

Also those that classify themselves as Alphas often arnt as they just want to make thierselves feel better. Even the online tests are easily manipulated to give the result you want.c

[AKA_Copper]

Yes, one's a Dom, the others a 🍆
Also, did Fet just censor the word 🐩?

[TheBookCollector]

1 minute ago, CopperKnob said:

Yes, one's a Dom, the others a 🍆
Also, did Fet just censor the word 🐩?

It did censor word An.im.al....should have put natural world.

[AKA_Copper]

8 minutes ago, TheBookCollector said:

It did censor word An.im.al....should have put natural world.

Geez, moderators can't moderate but they sensor this kind of thing 🤦‍♀️

[Du****]

The whole alpha idea in pack behaviour is a myth based on a flawed study on examples in captivity, which makes it even funnier when humans identify that way. It’s become so closely associated with a certain type of online community that it’s probably best avoided; anecdote is not evidence, but every woman I’ve spoken to feels the word has negative connotations.

A good Dom pays attention to aftercare. A bad Dom doesn’t. Both may identify as a Dom, but their actions speak for themselves.

[Du****]

13 minutes ago, CopperKnob said:

Yes, one's a Dom, the others a 🍆
Also, did Fet just censor the word 🐩?

Dick and Dom! Lol 🤣

[TheBookCollector]

4 minutes ago, DuchessFeuille said:

The whole alpha idea in pack behaviour is a myth based on a flawed study on examples in captivity, which makes it even funnier when humans identify that way. It’s become so closely associated with a certain type of online community that it’s probably best avoided; anecdote is not evidence, but every woman I’ve spoken to feels the word has negative connotations.

A good Dom pays attention to aftercare. A bad Dom doesn’t. Both may identify as a Dom, but their actions speak for themselves.

It does occure in the wild but with regards to packs and.groups where one male and/or female is at the top of the tree.

However it cant be applied to humans as we have so many different dynamics and groupings.

As you say the term Alpha in society becoming toxic as its been adopted by those who use it to justify toxic behaviour.

[Du****]

7 minutes ago, TheBookCollector said:

It does occure in the wild but with regards to packs and.groups where one male and/or female is at the top of the tree.

However it cant be applied to humans as we have so many different dynamics and groupings.

As you say the term Alpha in society becoming toxic as its been adopted by those who use it to justify toxic behaviour.

The theory is largely discredited. Hierarchical structures are more complicated than a simple alpha explanation allows for. The grey wolf study has been debunked. But no, it definitely can’t be applied to humans, and indeed, it’s like being “cool” - if you have to claim you’re it, you ain’t it 😆

[TheBookCollector]

3 minutes ago, DuchessFeuille said:

The theory is largely discredited. Hierarchical structures are more complicated than a simple alpha explanation allows for. The grey wolf study has been debunked. But no, it definitely can’t be applied to humans, and indeed, it’s like being “cool” - if you have to claim you’re it, you ain’t it 😆

Thanks Id love to read the research on that. I think were in broad agreement though.

[fi****]

As a 'naturally dominant' bloke, the natural, non sexual aspect of being a dom is more about being a caregiver, and stepping to the front when responsibility is required to be taken. An 'alpha' might have similar instincts, but most men who self identify as alphas aren't protectors, they're controllers. Obviously in a sexual context a dom is a controller, but with the welfare of the submitting individual very much front and centre of their mind, whereas an alpha seems to mostly be about controlling to boost their own ego.

[Deleted Member]

1 hour ago, TheBookCollector said:

The whole Alpha, beta, gamma, omega meme is BS.

Even it it was a real way of classifing people, in what sense do you apply it, someone can be an Alpha in a group of friends out of work but a Beta or gamma in work as hes just the post boy.

In the ***, world it has more sense as ***s generally live in contexts of the pack, humans dont.

Also those that classify themselves as Alphas often arnt as they just want to make thierselves feel better. Even the online tests are easily manipulated to give the result you want.c

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Army_Alpha

[Daddybrains]

Folks don’t agree on what these terms mean, because they mean a bunch of different things and those meanings are entangled.

My take:
1. Dom and Alpha aren’t the same.
2. A lot of people who identify as Dom or as Alpha are making excuses for what would otherwise be called sociopathy.
3. Dom is a role and Alpha is a personality complex. They aren’t mutually exclusive.
4. Dom / Sub is an axis of identity; Top / Bottom is another; Master / Slave another. This is unlike the Alpha / Beta / Sigma categorization in which Alphas call everyone else Betas, some of those so-called Betas identify as Sigmas instead, and nobody really self-identifies as Beta other than Incels.
5. Your label is not your character. Some Doms are asshats, some are great humans. Some Alphas are asshats, some are great humans.

[TheBookCollector]

16 minutes ago, CreamCity said:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Army_Alpha

Im not sure what you are attempting to show, are you attempting to show the Alpha/Beta meme in humans is true?

Thats a very narrow application of the term, even the wiki ststes at the time there where criticisms ocf the principle.

Having resesrch more upto date research over the last 20 years (nod to DuchessFeuille), has largely debunked the whole Alpha theory in the wild, and consequently in humans.

As i stated in a social group one may be the leader (alpha if you prefer) but outside that social group you probably are not, so is it possible to be an Alpha in one social group and beta in a different social environment, in which case which definition is correct?

[TheBookCollector]

19 minutes ago, Undersated said:

Folks don’t agree on what these terms mean, because they mean a bunch of different things and those meanings are entangled.

My take:
1. Dom and Alpha aren’t the same.
2. A lot of people who identify as Dom or as Alpha are making excuses for what would otherwise be called sociopathy.
3. Dom is a role and Alpha is a personality complex. They aren’t mutually exclusive.
4. Dom / Sub is an axis of identity; Top / Bottom is another; Master / Slave another. This is unlike the Alpha / Beta / Sigma categorization in which Alphas call everyone else Betas, some of those so-called Betas identify as Sigmas instead, and nobody really self-identifies as Beta other than Incels.
5. Your label is not your character. Some Doms are asshats, some are great humans. Some Alphas are asshats, some are great humans.

The term Alpha is a bollocks term that has been totally debunked over the last 20+years so its meaningless to use it in any context.

[John54]

My understanding of being a Dom is that it's a negotiated consensual affair, with an assumption that the safe word is respected and that agreed aftercare is provided. I think I agree with firmlybiased's analysis

[Se****]

An extremely startling thing was said in this question. Just so you're perfectly clear on this: ALL DOMS (including the ALPHA *subtype*) GIVE AFTERCARE. The ONLY "Dom" that doesn't provide aftercare are FAKE Doms. In some scenes, aftercare is less necessary, but never fully omitted.

Thank you for reading.

[TheBookCollector]

14 minutes ago, SensationDom34 said:

An extremely startling thing was said in this question. Just so you're perfectly clear on this: ALL DOMS (including the ALPHA *subtype*) GIVE AFTERCARE. The ONLY "Dom" that doesn't provide aftercare are FAKE Doms. In some scenes, aftercare is less necessary, but never fully omitted.

Thank you for reading.

There is no alpha subtype. The Alpha construct is completley debunked as pseudo science and has been for at least 20 years. Please stop trying to use the term Alpha when refering to peoplee as it has ZERO credibility.

You could argue that it can apply in a context of a social group but it is strictly limited to that social group and has no relevance in any other social group, especially as humans have several social groups that they are associated with and will have different positions in those groups.

[Se****]

Check your privilege, bro. I'm not referring to people, so please stop pushing your agenda on a perfectly valid statement. In this context, an Alpha is merely a title used for a dominant by their sub when they engage in primal or pet play. Go on a science app if you wish to talk about evolution in forums

[AlphaWolf_01]

Thanks for the comments, I identify as alpha, but from what has been said(my take granted) the titles of Dom and Alpha are interchangeable.

I have always been into precare and aftercare. To myself it's only right. 

I thank you for your comments, although I don't know why I needed the wild life stuff, unless we consider ourselves ***s.

Please continue with the comments, I feel I am learning more about terminology. 

 

So thanks 

[Daddybrains]

3 hours ago, TheBookCollector said:

The term Alpha is a bollocks term that has been totally debunked over the last 20+years so its meaningless to use it in any context.

It’s not bollocks in every possible context - that’s a bit much. It has a well-established meanings in particle physics, software engineering, color mixing, messianic literature, Greek, and so on. I think you meant to say, in your authoritarian faux-dominant manner, that “alpha” wolves were a misobservation and misinterpretation of pack behaviors.

[TheBookCollector]

13 minutes ago, SensationDom34 said:

Check your privilege, bro. I'm not referring to people, so please stop pushing your agenda on a perfectly valid statement. In this context, an Alpha is merely a title used for a dominant by their sub when they engage in primal or pet play. Go on a science app if you wish to talk about evolution in forums

However you failed to make.the distinction in your original post. Also i wasnt discussing evolution but the theory of Alpha/beta style labels being applied. It i wanted to discuss evolution id be referencing the likes Dawkins and other evolutionary biologists not naturalists.

The clarification in you second post is a partialy valid contextual statement for the use of the term alpha. Although i still dont accept the premis as surely a dominant is the 'Alpha' in any dynamic regardless of it being a primal or pet play oriented dynamic.

[TheBookCollector]

8 minutes ago, Undersated said:

It’s not bollocks in every possible context - that’s a bit much. It has a well-established meanings in particle physics, software engineering, color mixing, messianic literature, Greek, and so on. I think you meant to say, in your authoritarian faux-dominant manner, that “alpha” wolves were a misobservation and misinterpretation of pack behaviors.

Alpha, beta, gamma use in physics relies on a different definition of the term and often relates to a different classification, eg Alpha waves, gamma ratiaion but they have specific meanings.

Im terms of humanity, and wildlife the term Alpha is total bollocks and has been discredited for decades,

[Vi****]

All the needlessly pedantic bickering aside, If you're referring to only in terms of kink, I'd say they're near enough the same that it doesn't matter. In general terms I'd say an "alpha" would be more of a leader type in most/all scenarios where a dom would strictly be in kink only. Many "alpha" men love being dominated so they're clearly not the same in general terms.

[ey****]

I was going to give a slightly tongue in cheek answer, but I'll be more serious

A lot of roles and titles are - basically - which coat fits you best.  

I've often seen Alpha used by women who have subs and either (a) A Dominant of their own (b) a vanilla partner.  And they simply mean this to differentiate from their subs.