You've mentioned a kind of brokenness. Why that word?
In the Omega post you mentioned Omega and Sigma don't get the same good feelings from socialization that normal people get. Other things engage their drive, but socialization is a chore. Is that the gist of it? The Alpha is getting juice from the responsibilities of his role through the social aspect involved, that the Sigma just doesn't get?
Are Machiavellian tendencies a Sigma predictor? George Patton, Steve McQueen in Thomas Crown Affair.
Where would the protagonist of "The Northman" fall on the SSH?
Since his kingship was stolen from him as a child, and he chooses to become a slave to enact his revenge, the majority of the movie has him unable to ever really play the Alpha role, but at times it feels like he is a "situational Bravo" if there is such a thing.
BTW this is such an intense high-T movie, I didn't notice any obvious Gamma or Omega characters.
So how has Putin been so successful in politics and learned to play the game so effectively ? You think it’s something he essentially had to work at a lot ?
It would be interesting to me to look at a historical sigma constrained by christian mores. Someone who eschewed wealth or was a worldly failure through chance or because he would not play by the world's rules & refused the advances of women other than his wife. Perhaps this makes the task of discovering them difficult if not impossible.
Not to derail this post about the historical sigma, but would Napoleon’s Marshal Joachim Murat be an example of a historical Lambda? His flamboyant reputation, lust for power, and general disloyalty near the close of the Napoleonic wars seem like indicators.
Slightly off topic: since the Sigma Game substack has been growing crazy fast, increasing in respect and recognition of impact day by day, I wonder where on the "optimistic" scale it would appear in an updated version of the graph in the following? Next to Simplicius and Robert Malone?
I understand a bravo can act the role of alpha somewhat adequately, even if not perfectly
And a gamma can perform the delta adequately
Can a delta perform bravo as adequately? Or is the level up between those two a bigger jump?
Thanks for the post and any insight you can provide. I understand it’s slightly off topic, my apologies if that’s unwelcome. I don’t want to distract from the hosts intent.
Off topic: I've been trying to increase my nascent understanding of SSH by doing retro profiling. I've been a part time musician various times over the years, and marveled at how quickly a band packed with talent and prospects can devolve so quickly. Now I am seeing how one poisonous gamma has often brought things crashing down, or how alpha and sigma rivalries can pull a band apart.
Instead of relating personal experiences, I thought I'd speculate on a well known music group. I know many find the Eagles loathsome, but I use this example because the people, history, and interpersonal relationships are familiar to most. Corrections are welcome, because I'm trying to learn to apply the model accurately.
Here's a history of the Eagles from the SSH perspective. The band begins with:
Glenn Fry- Alpha
Don Henley-Alpha
Bernie Leadon-Alpha
Randy Meisner-Delta
Too many alphas from the git-go, but the common goal of stardom keeps them status quo for a few years. Fry and Henley start pushing the band toward rock, and they invite gamma Don Felder in. Felder infuses fresh rock sensibilities that increase the band's popularity. But he will also sow the seeds of collapse later. Tragically--for them at least--Felder is made a full partner.
Leadon departs and is replaced by Joe Walsh. Walsh was rock star in his own right before the Eagles, but seems more content being a team player in a band he doesn't have to lead--especially one that provides steady money and controlled substances. We'll say delta.
With only two alphas now, the tension heightens between Henley and Fry. But matters are made worse by increasing gamma challenges to their authority by Felder. Meanwhile, Meisner takes a downturn. Health issues affect his ability to hit those stratospheric tenors. His stress escalates under the constant brow beating by Fry who questions his competence and utility to the band. He departs. He's replaced by delta Tim Schmit. Tellingly, neither Schmit or Walsh are made full partners.
Felder's gamma wipeout comes on a night of macho posturing between Fry and Felder. Felder doesn't take his licks or stand his ground. Instead he scores a KO against his own guitar. In secret king fashion he wins the Middle Wit Championship of Stringed Instrument Boxing. The band is done.
Cut to the mid-90's and the band reunites. Emotions have faded, but not the behavior patterns. Felder gammas again, this time questioning the fairness of the unequal payouts to Walsh and Schmit. He claims to be looking out for their interests, but neither man asked for this. For the litigious-prone Henley, it's the last straw. At great financial cost, Felder is excised.
B-b-but...he wrote the music for Hotel California. And he's still reminding everyone of that.
Hi Vox. Ever since I came across your SSH stuff as a young adult I've been able to apply it and it changed my life. Didn't understand it before then. It's been a very healing experience.
One thing that I would like to share is that I think some sigmas are able to play the role of alpha and be competent at it. The difference would be that they would not be able to do it long term, since being confined to a social role would be maddening. This makes sense from a theoretical standpoint as well, since human beings do not always fit perfectly into a category, and some sigmas are more broken than others.
Interesting eyes.
You've mentioned a kind of brokenness. Why that word?
In the Omega post you mentioned Omega and Sigma don't get the same good feelings from socialization that normal people get. Other things engage their drive, but socialization is a chore. Is that the gist of it? The Alpha is getting juice from the responsibilities of his role through the social aspect involved, that the Sigma just doesn't get?
Are Machiavellian tendencies a Sigma predictor? George Patton, Steve McQueen in Thomas Crown Affair.
Where would the protagonist of "The Northman" fall on the SSH?
Since his kingship was stolen from him as a child, and he chooses to become a slave to enact his revenge, the majority of the movie has him unable to ever really play the Alpha role, but at times it feels like he is a "situational Bravo" if there is such a thing.
BTW this is such an intense high-T movie, I didn't notice any obvious Gamma or Omega characters.
So how has Putin been so successful in politics and learned to play the game so effectively ? You think it’s something he essentially had to work at a lot ?
The mundane interpersonal codes that define normal social hierarchies fade when survival is at stake.
Likely relevant in the not-too-distant future.
It would be interesting to me to look at a historical sigma constrained by christian mores. Someone who eschewed wealth or was a worldly failure through chance or because he would not play by the world's rules & refused the advances of women other than his wife. Perhaps this makes the task of discovering them difficult if not impossible.
Not to derail this post about the historical sigma, but would Napoleon’s Marshal Joachim Murat be an example of a historical Lambda? His flamboyant reputation, lust for power, and general disloyalty near the close of the Napoleonic wars seem like indicators.
Slightly off topic: since the Sigma Game substack has been growing crazy fast, increasing in respect and recognition of impact day by day, I wonder where on the "optimistic" scale it would appear in an updated version of the graph in the following? Next to Simplicius and Robert Malone?
https://neofeudalreview.substack.com/p/an-overview-of-dissident-right-substack
Re-reading War and Peace in leather will be even more enlightening after having read the SSH book! I hope those will be released this year!
Hey Vox great post. Love the historical examples.
I understand a bravo can act the role of alpha somewhat adequately, even if not perfectly
And a gamma can perform the delta adequately
Can a delta perform bravo as adequately? Or is the level up between those two a bigger jump?
Thanks for the post and any insight you can provide. I understand it’s slightly off topic, my apologies if that’s unwelcome. I don’t want to distract from the hosts intent.
At Waterloo, his forces were being decimated by fierce artillery fire (as were the French - war makes for rapid advances in tech).
He told his officers, "Hard pounding this, gentleman. Let us see who will pound the longest."
Sigma, yes?
Off topic: I've been trying to increase my nascent understanding of SSH by doing retro profiling. I've been a part time musician various times over the years, and marveled at how quickly a band packed with talent and prospects can devolve so quickly. Now I am seeing how one poisonous gamma has often brought things crashing down, or how alpha and sigma rivalries can pull a band apart.
Instead of relating personal experiences, I thought I'd speculate on a well known music group. I know many find the Eagles loathsome, but I use this example because the people, history, and interpersonal relationships are familiar to most. Corrections are welcome, because I'm trying to learn to apply the model accurately.
Here's a history of the Eagles from the SSH perspective. The band begins with:
Glenn Fry- Alpha
Don Henley-Alpha
Bernie Leadon-Alpha
Randy Meisner-Delta
Too many alphas from the git-go, but the common goal of stardom keeps them status quo for a few years. Fry and Henley start pushing the band toward rock, and they invite gamma Don Felder in. Felder infuses fresh rock sensibilities that increase the band's popularity. But he will also sow the seeds of collapse later. Tragically--for them at least--Felder is made a full partner.
Leadon departs and is replaced by Joe Walsh. Walsh was rock star in his own right before the Eagles, but seems more content being a team player in a band he doesn't have to lead--especially one that provides steady money and controlled substances. We'll say delta.
With only two alphas now, the tension heightens between Henley and Fry. But matters are made worse by increasing gamma challenges to their authority by Felder. Meanwhile, Meisner takes a downturn. Health issues affect his ability to hit those stratospheric tenors. His stress escalates under the constant brow beating by Fry who questions his competence and utility to the band. He departs. He's replaced by delta Tim Schmit. Tellingly, neither Schmit or Walsh are made full partners.
Felder's gamma wipeout comes on a night of macho posturing between Fry and Felder. Felder doesn't take his licks or stand his ground. Instead he scores a KO against his own guitar. In secret king fashion he wins the Middle Wit Championship of Stringed Instrument Boxing. The band is done.
Cut to the mid-90's and the band reunites. Emotions have faded, but not the behavior patterns. Felder gammas again, this time questioning the fairness of the unequal payouts to Walsh and Schmit. He claims to be looking out for their interests, but neither man asked for this. For the litigious-prone Henley, it's the last straw. At great financial cost, Felder is excised.
B-b-but...he wrote the music for Hotel California. And he's still reminding everyone of that.
I am enjoying the substack on the wars of Napeloeon as much or more than sigma game. Well done on the cross over.
Hi Vox. Ever since I came across your SSH stuff as a young adult I've been able to apply it and it changed my life. Didn't understand it before then. It's been a very healing experience.
One thing that I would like to share is that I think some sigmas are able to play the role of alpha and be competent at it. The difference would be that they would not be able to do it long term, since being confined to a social role would be maddening. This makes sense from a theoretical standpoint as well, since human beings do not always fit perfectly into a category, and some sigmas are more broken than others.
I need to read up more on Julius Ceasar. The generic overview is he was an Alpha, but there could be said to be a few Sigma traits too.
Would you say that a sigma is always highly intelligent?
Assuming highly intelligent means IQ > 145
(possibly giving rise to the name 'sigma'?)
It's astonishing how much British dominance in 1800s resulted from Wellington on land, and a single day of Nelson at sea.