Everyone's heard of an alpha wolf- the leader of the pack. This is the mob boss, the brains of the outfit, the protector, the one who tells the other wolves where to go, when to hunt, what to hunt. The alpha is the decision maker, the capo di tutti capi, who, from ten feet away, can hear the change of rhythm in a prey animal's heart rate. But the alpha is not the stern disciplinarian that movies have made him out to be. He's far too valuable, as the decision maker, to put himself in harm's way.
Which is why in front of every alpha is a beta wolf, an enforcer. The beta rank is the bold, big thug who is pure aggression. He'll take you down before you get too close to the boss. He's completely expendable. If he gets himself killed, no one will really care, because there's always another brute to take his place.
Then there's the tester wolf, who's very wary and suspicious, who doesn't trust anyone he meets. He's always scouting for change, for something new, and he'll be hiding out at every corner to make sure that, when and if it happens, he's there to alert the alpha. His skittishness is integral to the safety of the pack. And he's the quality-control guy, too. If someone in the pack doesn't seem to be pulling his weight, the tester will create a situation where the other wolf has to prove his mettle- like picking a fight with the enforcer, for example. If that beta can't knock him to the ground, he doesn't deserve to be the beta wolf anymore.
The diffuser wolf has been called many names through the years, from the Cinderella wolf to the omega. Though at first he was thought to be a scapegoat and at the bottom of the hierarchy, we know now that the diffuser plays a key role in the pack. Like the little, geeky lawyer to the mob who provides comic relief and knows how to keep all these other strong personalities calm, the diffuser throws himself headlong into all the intrapack bickering. If two animals are fighting, the diffuser will jump between them and will clown around, until suddenly the two angry wolves have taken their emotions down a notch. Everyone gets on with his job, and no one gets hurt. Far from being the Cinderella figure that always gets the short end of the stick, the diffuser holds the critical position of peacemaker. Without him the pack couldn't function; they'd be at war with each other all the time.
Say what you will about the Mafia, but it works because everyone has a specific role to play. They all do what they do for the greater good of the organization. They'd willingly die for each other.
The other reason a wolf pack is like the Mafia?
Because, for both groups, there is nothing more important than family.
yay hi i'm back for a short post. anyway many many many many many thumbs up for the book 'lone wolf' by jodi picoult! you guys should have a read, gonna re-read this tonight again :-) it is indeed a heartwarming story I actually feel guilty reading it, give it a try I promise you won't regret it
anyway lately ahs have been adopting an authoritarian regime ruling system. sigh just so tightly controlled and all, I wouldn't even be surprise if suddenly out come a youth movement. sigh. but no, you have to come to the realization that all these forcing and threats and just, demoralization, will not motivate the students at all. this way, you'll only gain haters and well despite this all coming from a good motive, you adopted a really bad approach. just try to put yourself into our shoes. firstly you cannot assume that everybody are equals, God made us different, unique in our own very special way, you yourself should know that best. so let's say we're really equals, can you run as fast as us? play a game of basketball as well as the school team players? if no, then why are you stereotyping? i'm so very sorry if we disappointed you and didn't meet your expectations but could you dig deep into your heart and for once just admit your mistake instead of blaming it all on others? maybe you can start by encouraging the sec1s and sec2s, instead of just plain threatening to kick them out of the school, you honestly have no rights to dictate our future. you want to control us so much, why be a principal? do you even have what it takes to be caring, loving, thoughtful and wise? sigh there's a lot of angst directed at you right now, we all know the root of your actions, well they are kind, but you are being unkind, which defeats all purpose.
and, well, everybody's definition of getting good results differ. i'm sure if you ask a top scholar from Oxford, his definition of good results would be different from a student in let's say, our school. henceforth, stop trying to force your structural belief on others and force others to admit that, oh no i really didn't do well or oh i did better than you ok sorry i should shut the hell up and stop complaining about my results. because at the end of the day, if someone who is doing well is still dissatisfied, this just goes to show how much that person wants to succeed ok? and you have no right to doubt any of that, or bring that person down. if you and I, we have conflicting definitions of getting good results, then i hereby express solemn regret and apology, but do stop what you're doing cos it's irritating the shit out of me.
~angst~
well done all classes that did improve, one way or the other, she has no right to define little improvement as no improvement. applaud yourself and continue working hard guys let's show her how wrong is she for doubting our abilities. one day she'll come to realize how wrong she is for bringing us down, ahs unite
