35 Comments
User's avatar
CMK's avatar

How long does it typically for you, or any other high-status male that you've observed, to go from thinking about starting a new endeavour and actually starting it?

Vox Day's avatar

Usually less than a week. Sometimes less, depending upon the endeavor. I mean, you know when I recorded BOYS WHO CRY; that was two days before I posted it. Before the end of the week I'd recorded 10 more songs for the album that we're now doing in the studio.

The only thing that concerns me is cost; if there isn't any great risk of losing money, I usually just try it and see how it goes. I also started writing A THRONE OF BONES on a whim and finished it less than one year later.

Glen Sprigg's avatar

Is the SSH universal across all cultures? Or does it apply differently in different societies?

Vox Day's avatar

It's observably universal, with minor variations as per the cultural norms.

SirHamster's avatar

Every culture made up of groups of human beings where men compete for women has a socio-sexual status hierarchy.

There are some differences in how high/low status behavior is expressed, but you still have the basic categories of leaders and followers, and the in-betweens.

Glen Sprigg's avatar

So there might be small variations, but overall no matter where you go, the SSH will still apply. Gammas will always Gamma in their own special way.

Joe Katzman's avatar

Everyone wants the salary.

Very few want the job description.

Fewer still can hold up under it, while maintaining the required batting average.

Do the best you can at your level, and let the results tell you what's what.

Goldfishbutton's avatar

Recently my company had a mid level person meeting with the managers after a fairly big mistake. The mid person said he hoped to be CEO or CFO someday, while simultaneously saying he hated when people interrupted his work, he "didn't like having to think", and just liked blindly entering in items. He wants the salary of a CEO or CFO, but not the job description indeed.

Anyway the managers laughed in his face and told him a chief position means being interrupted all day long, and is nothing but critical analysis of the items other people blindly enter in.

Ike's avatar

Disabusing myself of this delusion was the hardest part of accepting I was a Gamma. My gains since internalizing the truth are all reinforced by the regular reminders of it to me and my ilk.

A life-long work in progress, but it's worth it. Thank you for the bitter medicine, Vox Day.

Vox Day's avatar

I'm curious to know what made you think you were a Sigma? And what enabled you to overlook the various indicators that you were not?

Ike's avatar

Acceptance came shortly after you started the Substack, so I don't remember the specific qualifiers that made me think I was Sigma. But after re-reading the Sigma definition in "The Socio-Sexual Hierarchy" post, I'm certain I was identifying with half the qualifiers while either ignoring the other half or lying to myself by believing they also described me.

Vox Day's avatar

Okay, but specifically what made you think you were high-status, involved with top-tier women, being mistaken for an Alpha, when you weren't?

That's the part I find hard to understand.

retrofuturistic's avatar

"We're really a lot alike."

As a general rule, I can't think of a more insulting thing to say to someone. Or have said to me.

BodrevBodrev's avatar

Fat guy saying you're alike in public is an insult in and of itself.

Douglas Marolla's avatar

“Ideas are everywhere, but knowledge is rare.” Is the first sentence of Sowell’s best book - Knowledge and Decisions”.

Balkan Yankee's avatar

Gammas are self-licking ice cream cones. When exposed to sunlight, they melt (down). Every time.

Hoyabembay's avatar

Dag wanting quiet didn't even occur to the guy. Dag tried to make it clear with facial expressions and body language, but it all was ignored. I'd say that's a pretty common thing to happen to a sigma at work.

Uncle rico's avatar

I hear the sad frown face works well.

Goldfishbutton's avatar

My spouse and I have a theory that roughly 10% of people are doing 90% of the things out there. Things being inventing something tangible, writing a book start to finish and getting it published, writing music and getting it published, creating a game and getting it out to market, starting and running a business, etc. More and more, it looks like the alphas and sigmas are the ones out there doing things, and everyone else just watches, daydreams of doing it, or has various reasons and excuses as to why they can't.

Snowyteller's avatar

"You, like me are a secret king of men" So confessed the court eunuch.

The wanderer for his part was already thinking of passing through Atlantis, the mewling of the smooth soft man had barely reached his ears.

It would be the undoing of the court eunuch that he had never been satisfied with only one saying, and never satisfied with no response.

The second touch of blade would take far more from the half-man than his first experience.

SomeGuyOnline's avatar

The process is obvious. “If I’m one of those ‘Sigmas,’ then I’m high status. A ‘secret king,’ as it were. Brilliant!” There’s a word magic angle. But obviously, high status is the opposite of a secret. If you get deference, admiration, and female interest, that’s prior to any classification.

The Candid Clodhopper's avatar

Women and gammas look for reasons NOT to do something.

NRM7's avatar

The sluggard says, “There is a lion outside! I shall be killed in the streets!”

Proverbs 22:13

DarkLordFan's avatar

Absolutely, Gammas and sometimes even low Deltas always talk about their plans, and Gammas highlight how everyone is doing it wrong.

How about go do it instead of complaining about how everyone is wrong?

Ideas are cheap, while taking action is what counts. Having anything at all makes even for a much more fruitful conversation for anyone especially for the higher SSHs who have heard it all before.

The higher SSHs also immediately pick up on Gammas attempting to play the Bravo or even Delta role, which can occur in these situation where the Gamma tries to fit in. No one is fooled, ever.

Green Mojave's avatar

Vox has an easy way to dispose of the unwanted quickly. Unfortunately didn’t, traveled a lot and dealt a lot of unknown people, one technique used at meeting breaks, luncheons, conventions, etc, was to ask them an open ended question; how they came to be here? The multiple ways answered provided a great deal of useful information of how to work or not work with them and how seriously to take them. Ranged from just a curt business response to getting their whole life story. Just listened and nodded, escaped as needed. Always amazed at what was revealed. Sometimes way TMI, both personal and business. Had one seriously drunk competitor completely layout how they were going after a big production contract I was charged with winning and eventually won. He never asked who I worked for or what I did. Very helpful. Another STFU benefit. People love to talk, as painful as it is, sometimes pays to encourage the secret kings to boast.

BodrevBodrev's avatar

If there's even one woman around, this issue takes care of itself.

Hisao Nakai's avatar

Someone told me that merely saying that you're going to accomplish something, whether it's writing a book or learning a new skill, gives you almost the same amount of dopamine as actually doing it. Talking about your plans can be dangerous.

Henry H.'s avatar

That's why there is such a thing as an occult Law of Secrecy w/r/t making and implementing plans.

"Remain silent about your endeavour until it carries enough momentum behind it to be undeniable."

Anyone who practices this at least somewhat consequentially will be vastly better at reaching their objectives than those who habitually telegraph their every next move.

Veroel Aquijac's avatar

this is true. so it is always better the do the work first and achieve it. by then you can tell people about it.

telling people first is self-sabotage.

Leland Crinner's avatar

It's why I very much believe in praying in my bedroom, with the door closed.

Drake Tungsten's avatar

It's the power of positive thinking! It's so good it's the same as actually doing it! 😆

Balkan Yankee's avatar

Better to burn your ships instead. At least one can see the way forward, backlit by the flames of course.

Lone Ranger's avatar

Why would they even want to be a sigma. I know it's cool. But have you ever worked with Sigmas? it's almost as frustrating as working with Gammas, just opposite ends of the horse shoe

CharismaVacuum's avatar

They can only see where others rank on the totem pole, not what it takes to stay there.