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Wolfpacks have a hierarchy of respect, obligation and deference. At the top of this hierarchy are the Alpha Wolves, usually a mated pair but sometimes a single individual. At the bottom of the structure is the Omega Wolf. The Omega eats last and is chased and bitten by all the wolves higher up in the structure.
If the Omega wolf dies or leaves the pack, a new Omega ends up being chosen quickly and is not always the wolf that was formerly the one just above the old Omega.
It's in the interest of the pack to allow the Omega to remain a member, even though many of the individuals in the pack attempt to drive him or her away. For this reason, the Alpha is obligated by personal interest and social dynamics to defend the Omega when things get out of hand and the weakest member of the pack is in real danger of being driven away or killed.
Humans, lions, hyenas, crows and baboons have oddly resonant social structures; though none of them are similar in all major aspects to the wolfish model, they all do share the Omega Pattern to one degree or another. Humans, lions and crows are actually crueler about this than wolves, baboons and hyenas. Human, crow and lion Alphas sometimes kill or drive off the Omega themselves, perhaps to foster more cohesiveness in the tribe, flock or pride.
But wolf, hyena and baboon Alphas seldom turn on their Omegas wantonly, usually offering them protection from the worst excesses of their pack mates. There must always be an Omega, why get rid of one just to have nature nominate another?
One measure of the civility of human societies might be how much closer to wolf than lion they are in the treatment of their Omegas.
Horses, cattle, rats and elephants do not have Omegas; herds are structured but marginalization is based on different dynamics.
Why am I bringing this up? Just something offered as a topic of meditation, perhaps. Are we not Omega?
Hugs to all,
Erin
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Lessons
The stuff we learn on BCTS. :)
Crows DEFINITELY have a pecking order.
*GiggleGiggleGiggle* :D
The omega is even more that that
The Omega serves a higher purpose than that. In wolf packs the Omega is the only one in the pack that can approach the Alpha when it is in an attacking mood without being attacked and can therefore calm them. Because they are so non-dominant they aren't perceived as a threat, and can make suggestions, or affect the leaders mood without it being a threat to their authority. Because they are without any rank, their suggestions carry no weight other than that of the suggestion itself, therefore the leader can accept that the suggestion isn't a challenge, and just judge the suggestion on it's own merit without worrying about any perceived weakness for accepting a suggestion from an underling.
One way to take advantage of this effect is that if you have a suggestion you really want your leader to listen to, don't give it to him yourself, give it to a child/intern with no status to give to them.
Omega or Jester
It look like the jester roll with the kings in medieval time.
As my bands Lobo
I was outside of all of the bands political decisions. In a traditional society I was a medicine wolf who dealt { when I got older] as a between er, a UN-embedded third party who would take both sides of the story to the medicine person or tribal counsel for decision making.
Today I treat it like beings I am outside the protection of the gods, I do not need to follow their rules either.
In mid Evil Europe the court Jester was the omega most of the times.
Misha Nova
With those with open eyes the world reads like a book
I remember having similar
I remember having similar thoughts as you posted above Erin, when i read Jodi Picoult's, "Lone Wolf". It struck me that even though the rest of the pack would ridicule and try to drive the Omega away, he was still a necessary part of the society, and ultimately worthy of the Alpha's protection. Yes, I do fel you are right, in many ways that describes us... at least in a somewhat collective sense.
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