Democracy and deers. In the 1960s, a group of white male scientists conducted a study on deer behavior.
They observed that one larger deer would take off in a new direction after some time, and the other deer would follow. The scientists interpreted this as evidence that deer have a dominant leader, or “alpha.”
Decades later, a group of female scientists conducted a new study on deer behavior. They used the same methods as the original study but observed something different. They noticed that all of the deer in the herd would look up in one direction or another before the larger deer took off.
The newer study concluded that deer do not have alphas. Instead, they make decisions democratically. The larger deer is not a leader but a representative. The deer’s job is to tally the vote and lead the herd in the direction most deer want to go: democracy and deers.
The new study’s findings have important implications for our understanding of deer behavior and social structures. The study shows that deer can make decisions democratically without needing a dominant leader: democracy and deers. Humans are also capable of making decisions democratically without the need for a dominant leader.
The older deer study exemplifies men’s inherited worldview through the lens of hierarchy and patriarchy.
The new study is a call to action for all of us. It reminds us that we should not make assumptions about other animals’ behavior. We should also be mindful of our biases and how they may affect our world understanding. We should all strive to be more open-minded and to see the world through the eyes of others.
The Idea of The Alpha
The concept of the alpha is a myth. It was first introduced in the 1940s by Rudolph Schenkel, who observed captive wolves and noted a dominant male and female wolf in each pack.
However, more recent studies have shown that wolves in the wild do not have a strict dominance hierarchy. Instead, they live in family groups led by a breeding pair. The breeding pair is not dominant over the other wolves in the pack. They are simply the parents of the other wolves.
The idea of the alpha has been popularized by popular culture, but there is no scientific evidence to support its existence. The idea of the alpha can be harmful because it can lead to people thinking they need to be dominant to succeed. This can lead to aggression, bullying, and other negative behaviors.
Humans do not have an instinct to form dominance hierarchies. We are capable of cooperation, empathy, and compassion. We should strive to create societies that are based on these values, not on dominance.