The Myth of the Sigma Male

By John Mac Ghlionn

In recent times, it has become fashionable for certain outlets of dubious quality to harp on about a new type of male: The Sigma Male. Take Glamour UK's Bianca London, for example. She recently suggested that males "who identify as sigma often enjoy their own company" and "don't conform to societal norms. Instead, they act as sort of lone wolves." They are, more often than not, "honourable, charismatic and magnetic, and are seen to be unafraid to take risks or make their own decisions." However, Vice's Justine Reix warns readers that the Sigma male should be viewed as the latest strain of "toxic masculinity." In fact, warns an obviously concerned Reix, Sigmas are downright dangerous. If Reix is to be believed, American Psycho's Patrick Bateman was a Sigma. And here I was thinking that he was nothing more than a dangerous psychopath. Silly me.

There's just one problem with the claims made by Reix and London – and it's a rather big one: Sigma males don't exist. They are a figment of our rather wild imaginations.

According to the author Donal Miller, there are “two types of men in this world – one is looking for a woman to make his life complete and the other is looking for a woman to join his complete life.” Some men have their lives in order. They are the authors of their own scripts. The vast majority of men, however, are dancing to someone else's tune.

The above quote carries a great deal of truth. If we are to talk about men, social capital, and the idea of sexual hierarchy, then, whether you like it or not, we must discuss alphas and betas, or leaders and followers.

If Tolstoy were around today, he would probably write something along the lines of, “all alphas are alike; each beta is beta in his own way.” After all, if there is one word that describes all alphas, it's dominance. Betas, on the other hand, come in a variety of unappetising flavours. Some are subservient, spineless souls, afraid to voice an opinion or have a decisive impact. Others, however, are just lazy, unmotivated fellas who lack discipline. Alphas and betas exist within a hierarchy. And as Jordan Peterson started telling anyone who would listen many years ago, hierarchies are both real and incredibly important.

Sigmas, on the other hand, exist outside the hierarchy – or at least that's what we have been led to believe. But this is a load of nonsense. Sigmas are a product of our narcissistic, solipsistic times, where individuals look for new, inventive ways of separating themselves from the herd – or in this case, the hierarchy. However, from the wilds of Africa to the wilds of Wall Street, hierarchies are utterly inescapable. As Dr John Child has noted, "Pecking orders are common among animals and birds, and wherever human beings live together hierarchies tend to emerge. The larger that human communities are, the more extended and formal their hierarchies tend to be. The sheer ubiquity of organizations in modern societies lends them undeniable significance, and the hierarchies they contain are hugely consequential, not just within organisations but also in the wider society."

In other words, hierarchies are a brutal reality of life, whether you happen to be a gorilla in the wilds of Gabon or a guy living in Glasgow.

The Sigmas we hear so much about are really just alpha males who carry themselves with an air of respectability. They are confident in their abilities and feel no need to boast about their accomplishments. Someone like Keanu Reeves could be described as a Sigma. But, as I have shown, Sigmas don't exist. Anyone with a functioning brain knows that Mr Reeves – tall, handsome, accomplished, resource-wealthy – is an alpha.

Alpha males are often perceived as braggadocious narcissists. True, some of them are. Nevertheless, it's important to remember that the term 'alpha male' simply refers to a man who is dominant within the group. Considering there are almost 64,000 actors in the US alone, it's safe to say that Keanu Reeves, one of the most bankable stars in Hollywood, is an alpha. He is a dominant actor. He has been for decades. At the same time, however, he has mastered the art of domination not by destroying those in his path but by being charming, honest, and humble. A man can attain power, wealth, and respect without being an egotistical maniac. The only question you need to ask yourself is this: Am I an alpha or a beta?