The following is an article about the Zeta Male from 2011, which we are republishing for new readers who may be unfamiliar with the topic. It may surprise some readers to learn how much these early discussions about the Zeta Male mirror later conversations that emerged under the heading Men Going Their Own Way (MGTOW). — Editor
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By now I am assuming you have all seen Paul’s video on the basic premise of a “zeta male”. Paul’s video is vague, but a good foundation. Still, you can’t help but ask – what the fuck is a Zeta Male?
Well, the term comes from designations in the male hierarchy; labels like alpha male and beta male. The interesting thing is that one does not essentially choose whether to be an alpha or a beta, but you do get the luxury to choose to be a zeta.
The idea of the alpha and beta male are based on observations of leaders and followers in society; who are the best of providers, and who comes in second. You grow up through your life being taught what to do; who you provide for and how you accomplish that. You protect and practice chivalry, and the social constructs and institutional ideas of what men should be are handed to you without reason or explanation.
Before you realize it you have been molded into the man you are told to be, and you fall into a category. You may be caught somewhere in between, but on the odds you still lean more towards one designation or the other. In the end, from a critical eye, and an institutional one, you will be branded whether you like it or not. You have been given a status, for better or worse, based on how you adapted to your upbringing, and a bit of luck.
The problem with the idea of alpha and beta males is that the traits are partially based on superiority/inferiority and they are actually rather constricting and come with the standard restrictions of manhood (the inability to show emotions, you must raise a family, and be the breadwinner, etc). You are given a code of conduct, and how well you do determines your worth as a man, and as a human being. Traditionally speaking, you either played the game or you forfeit by default. There weren’t many options, and even alpha males were stuck in their role.[quote float=”right”]You have been given a status, for better or worse, based on how you adapted to your upbringing, and a bit of luck.[/quote]
But no matter where you are, there is always a desire for freedom and change. Sometimes when there are few options, people tend to be happier, as they don’t have the abundance of options, and never have to look back thinking, “I should have done X,Y, and Z instead….” But often, when there are no choices at all it brings a great deal of pain.
Especially when you see the alternative freedoms other people have. One of the few things feminism got right was the abundance of options that it gave to women. Now that men are starting to analyse all this more objectively, many are coming to a completely different view of their roles. When looking in comparison men have started to decide that how much life sucks as a man. Now, a growing number of men want options, too.
And so the Zeta Male begins to rise from the rubble of the shattered romanticizing of traditional masculinity. Zeta masculinity is more self taught and defiant toward traditional social structures.
Zeta theory tends to be the option of “abstain” from the game. You don’t forfeit, but you also aren’t playing. Zeta males have no intention of bending to the will of society for gender based purposes, and opt instead for self preservation. This is not an absence of morality or ethics, but rather breaking out.
For the zeta, when he is told to do something because he is “the man,” his answer is a simple “No.”
Social expectations of both alphas and betas (being providers, chivalry, etc) are tossed aside, and we refuse to see ourselves as inferior because of it. We are doing what we want, taking our lives into our own hands. The traditional, institutional notions of masculinity will be at our mercy.
The traditional ideals of masculinity are going to be clay in our hands. Zeta male theory lets us mold the social institutions to our will. But first we have a different goal: to take it down. Or, if you prefer, to watch it collapse and fall under its own weight doing nothing to stop it.
Despite public opinion, gender roles are still highly institutionalized in society, and within all institutions that are created. They can also be taken apart, and in the long run, that is what the goal is. It is not simply to step aside and run on a different path, but to open up all the paths to everyone available. Zeta males have every intention of breaking apart society, and building it right back up how we see fit.
How do we see the new masculinity in its most ideal form? In one word – Freedom.
The freedom to be who you are without shame, to take a professional career and family life of your choosing without being seen as lesser man.
In fact you might not even want to be seen as a man, and that is fine too. As long as you are who you want to be and can keep your head up high with pride you fit into the new design. For better or for worse, there is no shame in who you have decided to be as long as you are happy with it.
We don’t change ourselves for women, especially when it comes to relationships. If you don’t want to be with us for who we are, then you have no respect for us, and we don’t want to be with you. My time may be split to be with you, but my passions will not die for you.
It’s not just woman that we stick it to. Men are guilty of trapping others in the gender role. We will help pull you out of the pit, but we aren’t going to let you pull us back in. We aren’t going to contribute to the system that results in the fact that 80% of suicides are male. We want you to escape with us. Our hands are stretched out are you going to grab ahold of them or are you going to stay where you are?
And if anyone, man, woman, or child protests? Shut up, and get out of our fucking way. We are Zeta Males, and we aren’t going anywhere. You are.
