Ex-gamma reads like ex-cripple. And a gamma using the term to garner attention is just as off-putting and ridiculous. It is quite literally as uncomfortable to read as looking at an amputee is.
The post reminds me of a particular toy the kids have. They have these little gel-filled balls with mesh outer shells. You squeeze them and the goop inside squishes out of the mesh. They try to poke the booger green goop back in but it will just poke out of another hole in the mesh until you let the pressure off. My son squashed one too hard and green slime ended up everywhere. People are like that. You squeeze someone hard enough you'll see what's inside them come out. Anger, bitterness, ugly hearts, bad attitudes, selfishness, or goodness, carefulness, kindness, empathy. It all gets revealed in times of stress. Gammas can't hide forever but really, nobody can.
Being a Gamma sucks because of the garbage we inflict on others and on ourselves. Thanks for writing this article, it's a helpful reminder to fight the urges.
Something I find particularly striking about a lot of gammas is the way they talk about their life as though stuff just “happens” to them. Like they think the universe has cursed them or something. Then you point out the chain of cause and effect and they take it as some kind of personal insult
What I like about being male is that we, from the age of four onwards, can quickly and efficiently sort ourselves into an effective hierarchy almost immediately. It's natural to us. We do it a multitude of times throughout our entire lives. Yet, there is the Gamma. Why? I don't know. It's a mystery.
It might sound overly religious, but at this point I'm thoroughly convinced that the hierarchy is part of the Divine plan for Man and the gamma is the Devil's taint on it.
Start the interview asking general life queations. Ask him if he has a girlfriend and steer the question toward women. Maybe have an HR girl with you. If he is a gamma he won't be able to mask the inadequacy.
Make sure you've got a 30-60 day probationary period as a part of the hiring contract if your state will allow for firing at will without cause. Anyone can do a reasonable job masking for an hour but not as much so for 60 or 90 days.
Looking in the mirror and being brutally honest with yourself about what you are is vitally important. Taking up martial arts and weight lifting may also suffice.
The SSH is such a useful tool, and I want to thank you for developing it. The Gamma is an enemy, but he always reveals himself. It's much easier to recognize behaviors with SSH and act accordingly.
I have no idea what you mean by "sloth". One gamma I know runs marathons. Another will happily work through lunch or work long hours in the cold just so he can brag about how busy he is.
Industry does not depend on honesty. All of the gamma trolls obsessed with Big Bear and other nemesises show that gammas are capable of hardwork when properly motivated.
There have been historic generals who lied and were jealous, so they might be gammas. Physical bravery is much easier than moral courage.
Most men can figure out another man as they walk toward him. The initial analysis is confirmed quickly upon hearing the other man speak while observing mannerisms. Your place in the SSH is as visible as your height. It’s like a flashing neon sign if you’re paying attention to anything else other than yourself.
Addicts are addicts already even before they engage on the addiction of choice, all of the physiological and psychological framework is there and will still be there even after decades of sobriety.
Understanding that is key to be able to start at least improving and reducing the damage you do to yourself and specially to others around you.
Since Vox mentioned the "Gamma anonymous" which I think is great idea, I'll say "Harm Reduction" as we talk about with drugs and addicts might also be one good way to look at it. You don't stop being a Gamma, you work on harm reduction.
> Behavioral patterns can be consciously controlled, but they cannot be disciplined if they are denied.
This. Also, the past isn't inescapable. People forget, people move on, especially in business and industry churn. Your past behavior at work is institutional knowledge that you WANT to be lost.
A consistent, vigilant seachange -- which includes no whining, no bragging, no references to your past behavior at all -- will allow others to forget or for those who witnessed to fade away.
However, one slip back into old habits, and suddenly everyone remembers and you are at square one. You don't get a "cheat day" to act like an asshole again.
Why... why is everything a MASSIVE personal attack worse than Dresden, the firebombing of Tokyo, and the atomic bombings of Nagasaki and Hiroshima combined?
Because when you threaten a gamma's delusion you are triggering him at his core. It feels like a violent physical attack and it will push him into fight-flight mode. What that fight-flight looks like depends on how long the rage has been building, and how much ruminating the gamma has been doing behind the scenes about those that done him wrong and the injustice of the situation. The nuclear gamma meltdown results because he's had the entire fight in his head and you're just getting to join in for the final round.
A modern Dante would probably use such a support group to characterize a tenth Circle of Hell.
Ex-gamma reads like ex-cripple. And a gamma using the term to garner attention is just as off-putting and ridiculous. It is quite literally as uncomfortable to read as looking at an amputee is.
The post reminds me of a particular toy the kids have. They have these little gel-filled balls with mesh outer shells. You squeeze them and the goop inside squishes out of the mesh. They try to poke the booger green goop back in but it will just poke out of another hole in the mesh until you let the pressure off. My son squashed one too hard and green slime ended up everywhere. People are like that. You squeeze someone hard enough you'll see what's inside them come out. Anger, bitterness, ugly hearts, bad attitudes, selfishness, or goodness, carefulness, kindness, empathy. It all gets revealed in times of stress. Gammas can't hide forever but really, nobody can.
Being a Gamma sucks because of the garbage we inflict on others and on ourselves. Thanks for writing this article, it's a helpful reminder to fight the urges.
Just own it. Men are very forgiving. If a man messes up, he has to own it and get back up and try again. Men admire that.
Could you do a Taylor Swift cover and "Gamma gonna Gamma"?
Something I find particularly striking about a lot of gammas is the way they talk about their life as though stuff just “happens” to them. Like they think the universe has cursed them or something. Then you point out the chain of cause and effect and they take it as some kind of personal insult
What I like about being male is that we, from the age of four onwards, can quickly and efficiently sort ourselves into an effective hierarchy almost immediately. It's natural to us. We do it a multitude of times throughout our entire lives. Yet, there is the Gamma. Why? I don't know. It's a mystery.
It might sound overly religious, but at this point I'm thoroughly convinced that the hierarchy is part of the Divine plan for Man and the gamma is the Devil's taint on it.
Stressful situations are a great revealer of people and who they really are. For most, pray that you don’t get put into situations of great stress.
About gammas in the workplace, any advice for discerning a Gamma or someone that hides his gamma-ness well when interviewing new potential hires?
One of the interview questions Vox suggested before was: "Tell me about a time you were right , everyone else was wrong, and what you did about it?”
Start the interview asking general life queations. Ask him if he has a girlfriend and steer the question toward women. Maybe have an HR girl with you. If he is a gamma he won't be able to mask the inadequacy.
Make sure you've got a 30-60 day probationary period as a part of the hiring contract if your state will allow for firing at will without cause. Anyone can do a reasonable job masking for an hour but not as much so for 60 or 90 days.
Looking in the mirror and being brutally honest with yourself about what you are is vitally important. Taking up martial arts and weight lifting may also suffice.
The SSH is such a useful tool, and I want to thank you for developing it. The Gamma is an enemy, but he always reveals himself. It's much easier to recognize behaviors with SSH and act accordingly.
The three cardinal failures of the Gamma are1) cowardice 2) dishonesty 3) sloth.
We become brave by doing brave things. We must face our fears.
Courage allows us to become honest with ourselves and others.
Honesty lends itself to industry, for if we are repulsed by our reflection we work to change it.
That being said, can a man be brave, honest, and industrious and yet remain a gamma?
I posit all these changes are possible if we go to God for grace to help, and having done so work as if it’s all up to us to make it happen.
I have no idea what you mean by "sloth". One gamma I know runs marathons. Another will happily work through lunch or work long hours in the cold just so he can brag about how busy he is.
sloth in personal development work
Industry does not depend on honesty. All of the gamma trolls obsessed with Big Bear and other nemesises show that gammas are capable of hardwork when properly motivated.
There have been historic generals who lied and were jealous, so they might be gammas. Physical bravery is much easier than moral courage.
Most men can figure out another man as they walk toward him. The initial analysis is confirmed quickly upon hearing the other man speak while observing mannerisms. Your place in the SSH is as visible as your height. It’s like a flashing neon sign if you’re paying attention to anything else other than yourself.
Addicts are addicts already even before they engage on the addiction of choice, all of the physiological and psychological framework is there and will still be there even after decades of sobriety.
Understanding that is key to be able to start at least improving and reducing the damage you do to yourself and specially to others around you.
Since Vox mentioned the "Gamma anonymous" which I think is great idea, I'll say "Harm Reduction" as we talk about with drugs and addicts might also be one good way to look at it. You don't stop being a Gamma, you work on harm reduction.
> Behavioral patterns can be consciously controlled, but they cannot be disciplined if they are denied.
This. Also, the past isn't inescapable. People forget, people move on, especially in business and industry churn. Your past behavior at work is institutional knowledge that you WANT to be lost.
A consistent, vigilant seachange -- which includes no whining, no bragging, no references to your past behavior at all -- will allow others to forget or for those who witnessed to fade away.
However, one slip back into old habits, and suddenly everyone remembers and you are at square one. You don't get a "cheat day" to act like an asshole again.
Why... why is everything a MASSIVE personal attack worse than Dresden, the firebombing of Tokyo, and the atomic bombings of Nagasaki and Hiroshima combined?
Gamma builds identity on delusion bubble. Pop the delusion bubble and you destroy his sense of self.
He is emotionally invested in his lies and makes truth an enemy. You won't find out what truth he can't handle until he blows up.
Unchecked, net effect of removing truth from public discourse, preparing the ground for ClownWorld inversion.
Because when you threaten a gamma's delusion you are triggering him at his core. It feels like a violent physical attack and it will push him into fight-flight mode. What that fight-flight looks like depends on how long the rage has been building, and how much ruminating the gamma has been doing behind the scenes about those that done him wrong and the injustice of the situation. The nuclear gamma meltdown results because he's had the entire fight in his head and you're just getting to join in for the final round.