Was Anakin Skywalker an Alpha Male?
Reader Dave Comments:
I have a question — what do you think Anakin would be like as an alpha had he chosen the light side. Would there be a way for him to achieve alphaness? Did he need to embrace his anger and tenacity and was he too opposed to the order of things to really be an alpha in that environment?
He never had the same quiet demeanor and witty tact that Obi-Wan had, nor the calm steadfastness and clarity of Qui-Gon. His alphaness lay partly in his innate and practiced talents and tenacity, but he wouldn’t receive recognition for them by being a subservient member of the current order. Unlike Obi-Wan, those traits didn’t grant him positive favor and influence.
Alpha is a state of mind, but as you’ve said before it’s strongly influenced by an individual’s power. It’s what makes guys like (the character) Mark Zuckerberg come across as alpha — because they have skill and power. What are your thoughts?
This was a perfect analysis of social dynamics and you are correct in your conclusion. More than likely, he never would’ve become Alpha and his tantrums would’ve been interpreted as a show for attention. If you’ll notice, his entire demeanor changes following his transgression to the Dark Side. The easiest comparison I think would be to see how he handles problems. Problem-solving, which translates into how “capable” a man is, is largely indicative of his social adaptivity. When Anakin saw a problem, he responded with frustration (when he wasn’t elected to become a master). When Vader sees a problem, he goes about solving it with efficiency (when their ship came out of orbit too soon, he immediately killed the captain who disobeyed him, and executed a plan to neutralize their mistake). While the realm of star wars seems so far away from relationships just think about how both of these characters would solve a financial collapse within their family. Anakin would freak out and threaten to kill the creditor if they didn’t lower his debts; Vader would remain calm and figure out a way to solve the problem.
Anger is not inherently a beta trait, Alphas are often known for their short fuses. Frustration however, is invariably a beta trait. Anger can be a sign of power and a way for leaders to incite fear. Frustration is simply an acknowledgment of your defeat and a way to dwell in your failure rather than trying to get past it. If you fail at something in life, use your anger as a way to focus your energy. Frustration will only lead to wasted time. Anger is motivating, frustration is paralyzing.
1. The entire issue of the light side and the dark side is a false one: there is the force; it is available to either side to be used as that side sees fit to achieve its ends; it is like saying water has a light side and a dark side. The game is given away when the spectral Obi Wan tells Luke the truth is only a point of view: lies are now tools of both the Jedi and the Sith: they are two sides of the same coin.
2. As a Sith, Vader was only answerable to his master the emperor; as a Jedi, Anakin was answerable to a committee: his will could, for the most part, be done.
3. We meet Vader approx 20 years after he has turned; we see Anakin an adolescent: he has matured in power.
Hey Shark. speaking of anger. I don’t really get angry…like my whole life. I just don’t care enough about stupid things that make most people angry. I’m just too happy all the damn time. What do you make of this? is this alpha or beta? It affects me in relationships because maybe a girl does something that SHOULD make me angry but i just really deep down inside don’t care. I realized that that might come off as a sign of weakness where the girl thinks that I like her so damn much that I don’t want to tell her off. Word.
Thanks for the analysis, it’s something I relate to well. I’m typically not the most liked guy in traditional social hierarchies – I always reach a point where I question the way things are done and someone senior to me gets defensive about that and I find myself being like a marked target. But, given a chance to step outside conventional boundaries and achieve something that most people are either too comfortable or uncomfortable to try to achieve I excel.
I don’t do well in the corporate world – I’m an entrepreneur at heart. My parents might have been too, but they’re too afraid of risk. I was lucky to have other influences as I came into the working world though so as to find who I really am.
By the way, as you’ve suggested in other posts, sales definitely helped me to find a degree of alphaness in my life, even if I found myself moving onto other things afterwards.