Meiselas: First off—people who are alpha don’t go around calling themselves alpha. Look, where I grew up, my dad would say: Being a man means standing by your word. Being a man means you push back against the bully, and you uplift people. You don’t punch down at marginalized communities.
Exactly
Exactly
My dad said the same.
💪
👍☑️👍
My dad found a briefcase with $30k and bank documents in it and returned it to the owner. That’s alpha man. He defended a neighbor being beaten up in the elevator by her husband and told him he’s sending his crew if she ever complains about it in a future. That’s alpha man.
Today it's attaching balls to your truck... Alpha males driving trans trucks are funny... lol...
Just watched “Game Change” last night on HBO Max. When she (Nichole)was Sarah Palin’s aid for the McCain Presidential Campaign , what a good movie and accurate portrayed movie.
“I’m a Man, I’m 40” Remember that saying ! LOL
… or tape his shoes on? www.foxnews.com/health/docto...
Amen.
I think we, as a society, should stop worrying about masculine/feminine, and focus on BEING AN ADULT. There is too much immature childish selfish arrested development behavior, everywhere, and not enough responsibile, mature, caring, selfless grown up behavior, male or female.
One more Dad story. When in AF had off-site housing bc of position. Put on spaghetti dinners & invite guys from base. Some did not want any blacks to attend. My Dad said sorry to hear that & THEY could come or not. Well, they did come & you know they all became best mates. Saw a man, not his color.
One Thanksgiving, he brought home a man and 2 children found on the streets. I was appalled, I was 12 or so. Wearing dirty clothing, smelled. Dad had us help girls clean-up & give them clothes. Most memorable Thanksgiving & learned no people are better than others because of circumstance, looks ..
Beautiful 🥹
My Dad said same and I learned so much from him. He cared so much for poor children, ran so many charity events. He would not abide bullies or braggerts. He would stand up for those being mistreated. He chose his words well. He never thought he was better than others.
FACTS!!!💯💯
Any man who must say "I am the king," is no true king." Tywin Lannister Game of Thrones
Oh, I need to listen. I love The Best People 🫶
And you open the door for pull the chair out for and treat women with respect and dignity as a partner not as a subservient slave
Yes, the ability to recognize etiquette and manners as decency, not a negative.
I too was lucky to grow up in a home where we were taught to do the “right thing,” but think of the many not so lucky who still do! Kindness. What a concept… We are more, and we will prevail. 😎✌️💙🌈🚫👑
A lion doesn't have to tell you he's a lion.
My DIL told us that one of the reasons she fell in love with my son was that he respects women! She had dated men who didn’t and she knew the signs. A MAN respects others and cares about their welfare.
His dad sounds like a wise, decent man.
Self described "Alphas" = Self revealed "Incels"
They’re only celibate because they refuse to evolve. There is nothing ‘involuntary’ about them. They are self-selecting from the gene pool. Darwin’s theory and all …
It is only the Socially unintelligent that need to call themselves alpha as they are still walking around as a Homo hablis not as a Homo sapien. As they still think they are brutes of the wild not materially & socially intelligent animals. I agree with Meiselas
It seems exhausting the man-o-sphere the long list of things you can and can't do wear eat or drink or you aren't man is wild there is a whole group of men that thinks wiping their own bum is beta and fully expect their girlfriends or mothers to launder their boxers. What on earth.
Absolutely!
Exactly.
I completely agree. Never capitulate to a bully. Always push back. Always make the bully’s life miserable. Find creative ways to fight back against the bully - or be ruled by him forever.
Ben said it right we grew up when values mattered, empathy, was felt around the world, now it's a disgusting display of ego driven sycophants. I still go to store for the neighbor I hardly know when her back is out, and take the kids a pool free blow up balls,and water my neighbors grass, We are one
By that definition, Biden is not a man. He didn't uphold his oath of office.
All of the “olds” (technically I am one by age, not feelings) need to stop worrying about “kids today”. It’s been this way since Charlemagne. youtu.be/1wCXr_6wgns?...
The most respected men are the silent ones. Those that prove themselves through service, selflessness, trustworthy actions. No true respectable, "alpha" male would need to proclaim their worth but through respectability, earned it.
sounds woke to me /s or beta cuck /s or whatever else guys who are too str8 to wash their asses say
Too bad Drumpf can't read.
A great video on what it is to demonstrate healthy masculinity.
Trump and the maga are far from men. They’re cowards and weaklings who stand united with the pedophile cabal. They are so dumb they don’t even realize.
I learned everything I need to know about life from Tywin Lannister. He gave me better life lessons than my own father.
Exactly!
📌
Welcome to the Dark Age of Don the Con Teflon Drumpf Our Supreme Leader 👀
Wait. Jesse Waters? Really as a young person you would look up to that marginal individual. Bully sure. But a bitch. He doesn’t say what he says on camera to people’s faces. He hides behind a camera and says what he says. He needs make up to look presentable.
And fails, even with make-up … his eyebrows need grooming, his hair needs rethatching, his suits are poorly tailored, he often has toilet paper stuck to his shoe, he lives in government-provided housing, uses government-provided healthcare & has poorly fitting dentures … to name a few things …
My dad used to say Being mean or tough guy is easy Being kind, patient, is hard word Doing the right thing is usually the most difficult thing Be like your mom do the hard work 🥸 But he was always doing the hard work But his call out to be a good person is everyone’s job Resonates with me today
I doubt that what Trump’s dad told him about being a man.
Taco’s dad was abusive who had no idea how to be human.
I know. It kind of makes you wonder. How much of Trump’s self is directly related to damage done by his father. Even so, it isn’t possible for me to have sympathy now. He’s cruel. And he’s a sexual predator and a liar.
Not really. I have a lot of empathy and sympathy, being a survivor of abuse, myself. Taco has been institutionalized for all of his life due to generational wealth. You can either capitulate and mimic the abuse, or, you can refuse to continue the cycle of abuse. There is always a choice.
I’d say , it is. It I’ve known those for whom they could not make the right choice, because, apparently, the damage was too deep. Whether that is true or not; what does it say about the choice of voters in 2024? Nothing good I think.
I was told by an elder that I could either continue the cycle of abuse I endured, or I could end it. I chose to end it. What is your story about abuse?
Too much to ask, too soon.
I did not write what I meant — what I meant to ask was if you agreed with what the elder said about having a choice to continue the cycle or to break it.
I wish you would have asked if we could talk thru dm’s before going ahead. I don’t know you. I don’t mind talking to you about this compelling subject. But I would prefer to know who you are first. A short bio at least.
As a general statement, yes. I was just saying that some people never learn how.
Ben, in my family, we called that "being a mensch!"
and their hero is a draft dodging pussy and coward
All those attributes are the attributes of a decent human being, they're not just male attributes
The whole "alpha" thing is a research error. The dude was observing kinship among captive wolves, which renders his findings useless.
Yes!!!
Exactly on point.
These guys are great give them a try
Loved seeing the brothers on "the Best People". All my favorite people in one place.😊❤️
A true alpha would never have that conversation, or such an opinion of himself. He wouldn’t need to. Just like when a shit-talking clown doesn’t have to keep reminding you, that he’s just a shit-talking clown.
There needs to be more role models like his dad. Sadly, many dads (and moms) don’t deserve to have kids.
They were bad ass
I watched that show for the first time, quite by accident. Damn good show. Conversations v talking heads, is always nice.
Your comments remind me of "Nick Adams" the only alpha man in the entire GOP party.
I think it's interesting that we're having this conversation about what it means to be a man, and yet, we're all quoting our dads. Is that a coincidence, or are we just trying to prove to each other that we're good sons?
💙
Meiselas Brothers are right on point. Love listening to them talk to the people.
Loved the podcast and these three brothers. Bless them for their courage. I follow them with pride and hope for our future.
Exactly what my father told me.
👏👏👏
This sentiment loses a lot of credibility when you use term "marginalized communities"
Exactly!
What happened to the America of Grantland Rice? When did it turn from “it matters not if you won or lost, it’s how you played the game” to venerating “greed is good” and “kick butt” as credos and values?
Yah but your Dad was a grown assed man not a screaming tanty throwing baby
fineartamerica.com/featured/sho...
Legitimising the term alpha male is pitiable. Do better.
If a man announces he’s an ‘alpha’ my questions include ‘how many restraining orders do you have against you?’ And ‘when was your first sexual assault/harassment charged against you?’
Who else is sick and tired of these bullies punching down?!
Alpha male 😂😂😂😂 Over who? 😂😂😂😂 Definitely not over any women. in my family. They listen to your bullshit for about five seconds before they proceeded to kick your ass. I raise strong women.
Punching down has been made a heroic façade by sound bite junkies. People voted for what entertained them & made them feel good about themselves, even if that was cruel and bullying. They felt justified as victims. They’re still victims. Of their own stupidity.
Loved seeing all of you with Nicolle Wallace!!!!
Look for the helpers.....he taught you.
Yes
People who call themselves alpha males generally are alfalfa males.
Word.
I am the youngest of four children. The only girl, my father raised me. I’m telling you he used to say that I had more balls on me than all three of my brothers put together. girl dad‘s all the way!
??
That's the opposite of what #Trump does. He doesn't act like a man, but as an infantile bully, forcing others to join his gang by threatening to reveal their secrets.
A case of arrested development causing chaos & great harm on the world stage! 😨😡😱:(
Yes but you were with Bush when he was responsible for killing thousands of “marginalized “ Iraqis that did not have WMD and were not involved in 9/11.
I love Nicole but she helped usher in this insanity. She was pro Heritage Foundation and Federalist Society back in the day.
She's reformed, and she mentions it all the time. Thank God there is hope for others to follow her lead!
She reformed a little late. The arsonist apologizing to me after burning my house down gives me little comfort. I've also never seen her take responsibility for the harm she participated in for decades.
Some of us are old enough to remember..
Lighten up bro! She was, but she obviously doesn’t adhere to that anymore and look at the work she has done the last decade. Purity tests don’t help anything.
I'm pretty light bro. This isn't a purity test nor is it gatekeeping.
If a guy describes himself as an Alpha male I read that as pompous Asshole Loser.
Goddamn, Ben is good at this. His head is exactly in the right place. The tone is pitch perfect, and you can tell that’s how he lives his life and this isn’t just for show.
The first sign that a man isn’t an “alpha,” is there need to announce that they are.
*their*
Second off, Alpha really isn’t a thing except when induced by captivity.
www.npr.org/transcripts/...
An NPR segment detailed how entirely misconstrued the whole alpha vs beta male was by these morons. The scientist who authored that designation w/in groups of primates said an alpha = a male w enough powers of attraction to females & enough strength to enforce the peace desired w/in the group.
100%
That entire interview was enjoyable to watch. I was sorry when it was over.
... Alpha males in the late 90's in Florida of all places filming Girls Gone Wild videos 🤔 ...
they should take this on the road: Nicolle and the M Bros.
America voted for Biff.
Why can’t Dem leaders speak effectively and plainly like this?
My dad always said that you must fight for the vulnerable. He did. He was an activist.
Same with my Father, always helping those who needed help on all levels.
#TRUTH
I grew up in the 50s & my dad told my 3 brothers and me that being a good person meant standing by your word, pushing back against the bully, and uplifting people. He didn’t qualify it as being a man. As his only daughter, I pushed back against bullies and assaulters more often and more fiercely.
Amen.
As sociology major, I look for behavioral patterns in people in groups and even throughout history. These are four different people in history from four different cultures except for the last two they work together. The same logic set ideology, echoing throughout time, through people.
Real men can wear pink!
Yep. Apply the golden rule and treat women as you would treat your own mother or your grandmother. Total respect.
I would say there is no such thing as "alpha" humans. We tend to look for partners, not rulers.
If only one of my friends would learn to look for a partner instead of a project.
You're right. No one needs to say they're alpha, beta, sigma, greek letter here. Furry references not needed unless you're a furry. You also don't need to be a man to "stand by your word." You just need to be a respectable human.
This was so good
My decorated WWII veteran stepfather said to me, “When someone constantly calls themselves a patriot, they are NO DAMN PATRIOT. It's not what you are but who you are, and others recognize it without being told.” The same can be said for Christians, “real” men, and good people.
Think “Atticus Finch”
Exactly!!! Love Ben.
Exactly and “Strength” isn’t intimidating people and using fear tactics!
Being an "alpha" doesn't mean that you eat first; it means that you make sure every member of the pack eats. It doesn't mean you get to push around the smaller wolves; it means you make sure they don't get pushed around at all. It doesn't mean you're feared; it means you're trusted.
Where I come from, that's being HUMAN.
That’s because so many of the “alpha” males today, especially young men, get their life lessons from social media and youtube videos. They don’t have positive male role models around.
What they mean when they say it is: we big strong cavemen, you listen to us or we kill you, we stronger we no have to think…
Yet, that’s all the shitiot has done his whole life, followed by those who believe evil is the way. #stopmagahate
And it’s dumb anyway. Alpha. What are they wolves? And I read that tech speak, alpha is some kind of computer glitch.
To me, strong people are the ones who use their power to pick other people up.
💯
I feel like reality TV was the beginning of the spiral. The biggest A-hole wins by manipulating others into voting off good people while treating everyone like shit. And the public was rooting for them and making them popular. I watched very few because it just didn't sit right with me.
100% agree. I have been saying this for years as to when I started noticing the shift. Yes, there have always been some villains you loved to hate on TV in movies but the reality TV exists on that trope alone.
I think it started king before reality TV existed, just look back to McCarthyism, Trickle Down Economics, the American public has always been easily duped.
I agree public can be easily duped. Reality TV for season long games was about how to manipulate and betray other people to win. Other types of reality TV was about being the meanest most outrageous personality for ratings money and fame with 0 actual skills. Neither showed many redeeming qualities
Oh, don’t get me wrong, I agree with you about reality TV, it surely brings out the worst in people, I was more pointing out out that we are now experiencing what was put in place decades ago.
Yes! Reality TV brought in the age of hero worshipping bullies.
Absolutely. That was my long winded point 😀. Drove home good guys don't win and the more you manipulate bully and betray you will win. People loved it and applauded the bad guy.
#stephencolbertforpresident
100%!!!
If you have self confidence you don't put people down or marginalize others and you sure as hell don't idolize other men. The strength is in looking out for others and being respectful and respected.
That's ridiculous. You have to tell people that you are a badass, so others will know. For example, I eat steak so others know that I'm not a gigantic pussy. Right now...anybody who read that will now know that I am alpha. Learn before you speak.
If you even use that word you are beta
I just assume anyone calling themselves “alpha” means it in the software development sense
Seems a pretty good approach to me. They're certainly very flawed but I suppose the question is whether or not there's any development work going on to get them OUT of alpha phase (and in the case of most of them, the answer is sadly, no)
MAGA men have to go around telling people they're Alpha because no one would ever know by their words or deeds. That's also why MAGA (& all Republicans) go around telling people they're Christian & wearing crucifixion jewelry.
Not jewelry, props.
Even funnier, their entire concept of Alpha & Betas in Nature has been thoroughly debunked. It’s based on animals who were abused & confined within unnatural conditions.
I've often wondered--hear me out here--If Jesus had been murdered with a gun instead of a cross, would faux-Christians wear a gun on a chain around their necks?
Interesting question! And what is the method of execution had been a noose?
Ha! Now that makes for interesting musing...
Any time you have to prove you're alpha it means nothing a true alpha male never announces it he lives it
There's no such thing
Right. This alpha stuff is BS.
That’s so true. My grandmother was a Christian. Practicing Lutheran. She volunteered for Meals-On-Wheels and did many activities for the Vietnamese immigrants etc., never identified as a Christian or Church lady EVER.
Honesty, integrity, character and morals used to be a prerequisite for being an adult, otherwise you were still a boy! Lots of boys nowadays!
Nicole Wallace doing the Brady Bunch screen-squares thingy with the Meiselas boys on The Best People. Zany.
Authenticity. Key value.
This is true.
That’s how it’s supposed to work!!!
It still means that and it will mean that again once we expunge this orange scourge and his sycophantic minions.
MAGA punches down - always. Because that’s what their shitty little cult leader has taught them.
It also changed when money started equating to status and respect...
And intelligence... in spite of ALL the evidence to the contrary.
Those were the days.
As a parent of a young man, I could not agree more with this. Parents, please don't let your kids idolize "so-called" alphas! No one should idolize anyone, especially sleazy creepy narcissists like Charlie Kirk, Benny Johnson and fucking Nick Fuentes.
Being a “REAL MAN”’ vs being “MACHO” or “ALPHA” or a “LOUDMOUTH BULLY!” A “REAL MAN” tells the truth, stands by his word, doesn’t belittle others, shows empathy and compassion, doesn’t run away when others need help, doesn’t intentionally harm or take advantage of others, pays his bills and taxes!
A real man to me is also a protector, in the truest sense of e word. Protecting decency and truth.
Agree!
I also agree.👍💯
Women are the drivers of evolution. Religion and patriarchy protected *non alpha* emotionally unintelligent, insecure, misogynistic and bigoted white males. They should have never evolved and now we, as a society, are paying a steep price for that.
Watching now. Well done!
"Alpha male" is a myth: www.scientificamerican.com/article/is-t...
Thank you for sharing that, very enlightening. In particular the alpha male - alpha female dynamic. I was always under the impression that the pack was led by the matriarch. And while it is, she submits to the alpha breeding male like the rest of the pack. So this article has flipped that /cont
Glad I caught this very good hour.
It's not complicated ...pop nailed it.
"What is this 'Integrity' thing you speak of?" signed ALL Republicans. 86 34F 47
The part of character you all lack and we have…🙏🏼🇺🇸💙💪🏾🌈✨
So many hearts for the Meiselas brothers and Midas Touch.❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
If you can think of the toughest people you’ve ever met, they never had to tell you they were tough.
They walked up to tough situations and dominated to the good.
Yeah, the idea is that if you have to go around insisting to everyone that you're the top dog then you're probably NOT the top dog - if you actually were, you wouldn't need to tell anyone. They'd know.
That part REALLY stuck in my head.
People who use 'Alpha' to refer to human beings in a civilised society are MORONS. It is a term used to refer to the behaviour of wild animals. 99% of self-declared 'alphas' wouldn't last 5 minutes without the support of the civilised societal structure.
Alpha males are thugs. Its because they are insecure.
❤️ Same for US flag size
This is generally true: if you got it, you don't have to prove it to anyone else.
Ben is so correct: the decent MEN need to take on this task and confront their male peers. No one else is going to possibly get the manosphere pipeline bros’ attention.
Cowards and assholes punch down
THANK YOU...this is what we taught all our sons!
One Million Rising!
The youngest Meiselas got the looks, but we love all them boys around my way.
Seriously? This is your contribution? Do better.
Trump and his MAGA followers are conmen, not real men👍
The concept of "Alpha Male" has been largely debunked and is only used to justify toxic personality traits.
Growing up, I was always willing to fight.
💯
My dad taught me that being a man is a responsibility, not a description. That's always stuck with me.
And “be responsible.” It seems the so-called alpha males want nothing more than to get away with their every irresponsible and mean-spirited whim.
💯
Now life has thrown me more than I can handle, and I would never reach out if this weren’t urgent. It weighs heavily on my heart — but I still trust in our compassion and shared humanity. Your kindness could make all the difference. If you can help🙏💙 gofund.me/0af928df
Your dad was right.
Your word was good and honorable
<<< REPOST >>> bsky.app/profile/mons...
Yup, it’s not that hard. As my stepdad used to say, be a standup guy
Funny, that's exactly what my dad told me. Along with a treasure of other wisdom. May he rest in peace, he died at the age of 48 :(
Did we? I mean, the whole Rockwell County count in NY state and all the swing state county votes totals is totally sus … Taco made allies with those who counted the votes.
There are indeed suspicions about the latest election results. If foul play took place, can it be repeated at the next elections? Can this be prevented?
All this stuff they're doing requesting voter rolls, more gerrymandering, no longer criticizing foreign countries for tainted elections, removing all the cyber protections for voting interference, it's all to rig the elections again.
Only by Taco’s collaborators in states that have been gerrymandered to the GQP’s advantage. Individual states attorneys general make decisions about elections. Taco can’t dictate what states do re: elections. States’ rights and all.
It wasn’t vote rigging that got him elected. It was stupidity. Rigging on a national scale would be almost completely impossible and would have been detected. People just didn’t made a very stupid choice.. maybe because of the economy.. maybe because Harris is a woman.. we need to fix stupidity
Hmmm, well, if NY state’s Rockwell county’s vote count is incorrect, shouldn’t we also audit the swing states?
We could spend a lot of time doing that or we could spend that time figuring out what drove people to make the stupid choice when they were warned of the consequences. This might all be irrelevant though if we’re never able to vote again
Reagan era attention to education? I mean, just sayin, the US went from ‘the place’ for education to not teaching civics, cursive writing, teaching the scientific method and advanced mathmatics …
to various states teaching about ‘the War of Northern Aggression,’ no civics, a lack of basic English grammar, and ‘science? What’s science?’ in a mere 30 years.
And, ‘No Child Left Behind’ is pretty much what led the Chinese educational system to implode during the Xia Dynasty. Those who do not learn history are doomed to repeat it.
Also, if you trust your single mother with the family’s finances, why would you vote for a convicted fraudster, 34 count felon and adjudicated rapist to the US presidency? Misogyny and racism.
To all the men worried about not being 'alpha' enough. Don't. Worry about big, mean old working class unionists throwing your mysognyistic, racist, neurotic broski ass around like a rag doll if you inflict your malignant bullshit upon the community. Be a GENTLEman!
I married a female who got the better of me when our marriage ended. It was a blow to my ego. My mother was abusive verbally and mentally. Still, I don’t have this instinct to want to do evil shit to women like many in the GOP. They hide it behind abortion. It needs to stop.
What I feel like, is there is this intersexual competition that is very real. When some of us get screwed over like we do. Which is just unfortunate. Trump is proposing himself as this figure that “got the bitch” for us. But I’m not a sicko like that. He really missed the mark.
When I got divorced my ex wife wanted me on the streets homeless. She was very willing to use the legal system to try to make it happen. The legal system is designed to make it happen. But you got to fight legally bros or else you’ll be on the streets. There’s nothing wrong with that.
Some women are mean. They’re calculated. They’re out for material gain. Maybe it’s biology. Maybe it’s a lack of morals. Maybe it’s up bringing. I don’t know. 🤷🏻 it’s not healthy for adult men to ignore this fact about intersex relationships. It’s not healthy to hate women either.
Douchenozzles need to advertise they are alphas
Oh that's beautiful.
And was wrong. The individual who came up with it has an essay about how they were wrong.
Ok, so I can't use it in peer reviewed journals
The full circle lol But as someone with an undergrad in ethology I would like to see the refutation essay. Dogs, of which are composite of three primary ancestor species in the world, were all majorly co-evolves with homo species. They are such a significantly social family of animals I love it
Yeah, turns out wolf packs are just family. "Alpha" = parent. So, humans using "alpha" that way probably have ... issues.
It's such a wild thing how incel culture really clung to this fictitious interpretation. A lot of right wing talking heads fixate on it still to this day
😂😂😂😂
In the wild, could it be that even wolves are more cooperative?
They are, and they protect the older wolves as well as the puppies.
It would make sense to keep the older, wiser wolves in play as long as they can help locate food and avoid danger.
In the wild, packs are Mom, Dad & kids of various ages.
(This would be a behavior based on minimizing waste in the survival of the group.)
They are very cooperative.
This!! Thank you. And also we aren't wolves
Being a man also means being flexible enough to both recognize and admit when you’re wrong. There’s a reason a lot more NFL players are doing yoga these days! Stand by your word—unless something changes!
Was a time, like back when I was a kid, giving your word or (hand) shaking on something, actually meant something. Can't tell you how many times I had to share candy or a pop when I didn't want to, but because "we shook on it" there I was forking over half the candy bar to my brother or classmate! 😅
Exactly. This manosphere stuff hurts young men! It’s also just stupid. I agree with this description on a man or a woman. We need to all stand strong with honor and integrity
