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The Glamour of Audacity:

“Blessed are they who take the biggest portion, for because of them, the meek will go without.”

If this is your first “Glamour” post, read the Note at the bottom before proceeding.

Taking the biggest portion is an example of audacity. People like to talk about wolves versus sheep. It’s more fruitful to look at wolves versus other wolves. In a pack you have the alpha, the beta, and the omega (the bottommost). In human terms, the omegas are the meek. But what makes an alpha? People will tell you that the alpha feeds first. But why? And how does the alpha achieve its rank? Is there some lupine gladiatorial contest, in which the last wolf standing assumes the top spot? No.

The alpha doesn’t feed first because it’s the alpha. The alpha is the alpha because it feeds first. Because it dares to. Because it assumes it can get away with it and it capitalizes on that opportunity. Audacity is how it claims the top spot. It feels the audacity within itself and expresses it. The beta and omega wolves smell the audacity and defer to it. This is a potent and useful glamour. It works for humans too. All else being equal, the one who dares to feed first, or take the biggest portion, or call dibs on the best office, or claim the best bedroom, or court the best mate, or stake out the best real estate, or choose the best table or the best seat – that individual announces by such actions that it is the alpha, and all else being equal, the other humans will assume their beta or omega positions. What could be more potent or more useful than that?

There are, of course, three points of prudence to consider:

1. Identify any others in the group who practice audacity themselves or who will resist your practice of it. These are rival alphas and their strength and cunning must be accounted for in your calculus.

2. In our human society, which is far more complex than a pack of wolves, predefined hierarchies exist. Identify anyone higher up the chain who might feel threatened or insulted, or be morally or philosophically put out by your audacity, and account for them in your calculus.

3. Betas and especially omegas may not be the sort who accept their positions gracefully. Their envy of you may devolve into resentment and then, especially if they are of the most vile sort, their resentment will devolve into malice, and their malice into treachery. Your strength will not be enough against such as these. You will need your cunning as well. Account for this in your calculus.

Just don’t let your own prudence devolve into perpetual paralysis. Sometimes there aren’t any rival alphas. Sometimes there isn’t anyone higher up the chain who would care about your intended action. Sometimes the betas and omegas are the sort who know their place and are happy to occupy it. Or sometimes you’re stronger than the other alphas, or more cunning than the betas and omegas. Each situation must be assessed on its own merits. If, by your calculus, you can get away with audacity – then take the leap. Do it. Then do it again. And again. Because, as the saying goes, “It is good to be king.”

The biggest portion will feel good in your belly. ISCHYROS DIAVOLOS!

Note:

Any of the “Bad Attitudes” from WOLFISM XIX can form the nucleus of a catharsis ritual, but only if it speaks to you and only if you’re able to have fun with it. If the one identified above meets those criteria for you, then make it the core of a cathartic ritual for yourself, and perform it. The effect of repeated performances over as long a time as feels right to you, will be to kill the part of your Superego that functions as the jailer of your natural instinct for audacity.

I use the word “glamour” in its archaic sense, and I use the British spelling because it’s more likely (at least for us Americans) to conjure up archaic connotations. Vampires were said to have the power of glamour.