I'm to unstable to be Alpha. I would like to be Beta but I'm to weak. I would probably be the very bottom or a least second from it.

You guys do know that "Alpha" and "Beta" roles are a myth right?

Well, they are a concept created by people who were going off the human cultural tendency to assume a hierarchy.  In reality, it has been found that wolves conform to need and talent based roles, rather than authority levels.  In other words, there is no real Alpha, there are leaders (this would be the only real "Alpha"), guards, peacekeepers, attackers, pup-raisers, etc, all fulfilled by the members most suited to them.  There are positions of dominance and submission, and parents are almost always dominant, but these are not constant and play less of a role in the way the pack functions than "Alpha, Beta, Omega" implies.  That Man Among Wolves dude demonstrated this: first, he was the pack leader, and had three other roles by the other wolves, then he left for a while and another wolf became leader, so he became a peacemaker (the leader and guard were aggressive).  So this whole thing of "who is an alpha and who is a beta?" is out the window, because there are no real betas.
As I said though, raccoons are anarchists.

Raccoons have an interesting place in this.  They kind of function as one member packs, staking out their own overlapping territories and collaborating with other animals who aren't encroaching (which can be other Raccoons or any animal that is neither food nor threat).  As I said, this can easily describe me.

It's truly odd to read over all this and think of yourself as just another outcast or misfit. You'd think that I'd have found a pack by now. Then again knowing only one other wolf therian in person it seems to be a bit idiotic to try to form a pack.

Well I just joined tonight, so for now,pack of one for me, I'm about as far from WVZ and Sherlock as possible, Edmonton, Canada.

Upon reading Sherlocks post about a hierarchy being a myth, I feel I would serve my family/pack to my best ability, and take pride in being useful. I would likely be a hunter 1st, parent 2nd alpha 3rd, and If i forgot other roles, they obviously are not for me :p

But in the traditional hierarchy sense, I'm the knight, NEVER the king. serving but respected.

I would like to join a pack, but they must live within 50 miles with me, I must be close enough to serve a purpose in RL.

I never been physical challenged so I don't know if i have Alpha in me. 6 foot 1 inch, 245 pounds, I'm a big boy

new guy wrote:

Well I just joined tonight, so for now,pack of one for me, I'm about as far from WVZ and Sherlock as possible, Edmonton, Canada.

It doesn't matter: I don't really do "packs" like that.  Also, not that I have any problem with it, but it's "Sherlawk", not "Sherlock": purposefully misspelled.

Upon reading Sherlocks post about a hierarchy being a myth, I feel I would serve my family/pack to my best ability, and take pride in being useful.

That's pretty much the point of it: everyone is happy to be useful to the others.  Communism.

Oldy VanZandt wrote:

Whatever structure Therian groups have - I've never known one to be established by physical challenge. Usually the leader is the one who does the most work or the one with the most useful experience.

Of course.  This is the best situation for a pack of humans.  As I said, in real animal packs, there isn't a hierarchy, only roles filled by those who can best fill them, and one of them just happens to be 'leader'.  In wild wolf packs, the best leader is the strong, experienced, parent, or whoever goes the longest in a dominance fight.  In therian packs, which are really more like "covens", the best leader (if you even have one) is the one who has the most experience and commitment to the group.

Used to be one in Edmonton, but he was getting ready to move last I heard from him.

I can't think of anyone on this forum particularly from Western or Central Canada, but this isn't a Therian forum (there are Therians here but that's not the purpose of the website). you would ahve more luck finding Therians on a Therian forum like Weresource or the Werelist.

What an interesting topic.  I'd have to say I'd be either a Beta or an Omega.  I prefer playing a supportive role when I'm in a group, but if I don't like the way a group is going or doing things, I'll go my own way without any worries if I'm alone or if anyone else follows.

My view of the Omega isn't the bottom rung of the totem pole as many others believe.  I have always thought of the Omega as the member that looks after the emotions of the pack.  They're the playful ones.  They like to play with the pups and try to cheer up anyone else feeling down.  I also kind of think of the Omega as the one that doesn't really care about where they are in the pack structure.  They're just there doing their own thing within the pack and enjoying life.  If there's no one else doing what ever it is they're doing, oh well, they'll just keep on having fun.  If someone else joins them, all the better.  That's just my opinion, so I don't know how it matches up with everyone else's.

I suppose the lone wolf aspect could also apply to me too.  I'm not looking for a mate, nor have I challenged an alpha and have been kicked out, but I do like to do my own thing without much worries as to who agrees with me or not.  So quite often I'll find myself alone, seeing what everyone else misses out on.  It kind of makes me feel privileged in a way.

Now, in light of what Sherlawk had to say about our misconception of the pack structure, I think I have to review my own opinions too.  If I understand him correctly would it be accurate to say that in certain situations different pack members play the role of Alpha.  For example if the pack is hunting, then they would all listen and follow whichever one of them is the best hunter.  However, given another situation, I'm not sure of what makes a good example, but lets say something like moving the pack from one point to another, then the member who was the most familiar with the travel route might take the lead.

Last edited by SilentStrider (2010-01-30 08:16:31)

2 Sherlawk Dragon:
Oh really? I am a born alpha. I used to beta in my old pack. I have started my own pack. And am now alpha-female.
No offense but you shouldn't be so rude here
-Thira

whatever. say wat u want. i am in no mood to fight w/ u guys >

Just because I ask reasonable questions and discourage people's fantasies, I'm now the 'forum tosser'. Everybody take note.

I mainly base my idea of therianthropy on the Therians I actually know - in real life. A "Therian" on the Internet could be anybody or anything for all I know. I've known several Therians that I actually considered "alphas" in real life. The common factor, though, is that none of them ever called themselves "alpha". My impression that self-proclamation as "alpha" is pretty good indication of non-alpha status.