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Dominance Contest
The Classic Showdown
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This is the classic showdown. If the challenge
succeeds it will reorder the dominance hierarchy. If it fails, it will affirm
the dominance hierarchy. Because the stakes are high, bystanders are
fascinated with dominance contests and they make for great and enduring
gossip. Winning a dominance contest leads to pride,
while losing leads to shame and
humiliation. Agreeing to a duel is a decision to
value pride more than life and to choose death over shame.
Definitions
- A public test, generally of fighting ability or some other form of
power,
to determine the relative ranking of the two contestants.
- A test or challenge to the present order of the dominance hierarchy
- Disputing your present rank in the dominance hierarchy.
- Rebellion.
Formats
Dominance contests have evolved throughout history, and even longer. The
favored format has changed over the years. Here are some examples
- Jousting.
- Fist fights, wrestling matches, or an unruly brawl.
- Duels with swords, daggers, or pistols
- "Chicken" and other games of daring and recklessness, including deadly
"road rage" and drag racing
- Poker and other games of skill or chance
- Chess Matches and other strategy games
- Endurance contests, stare downs, handshakes
- Interruptions, refusing to be interrupted, and insisting on getting the
last word.
- Talking very slowly or very softly.
- Debate, delegation, and dogma.
- Refusing to dialog, or deflecting inquiries with
a joke, insult, change of topic, or preemptive dismissal.
- Rudeness or insults intended to humiliate
- Failure to apologize for an offense.
- Bullying, including demeaning delegation.
- Declining to share information, resources, or materials held in common.
- Declining to yield.
- Having a busier appointment calendar when trying to agree on a meeting
date.
- Adultery or other trespass of romantic or sexual interests
- Upstaging the boss or other authority figure by walking in late to a meeting, challenging his
knowledge or authority in public, ignoring or disobeying his directions,
making him wait for you, publicly working at cross purposes to his, making
jokes at her expense, and other acts of insubordination, disobedience, or
sabotage.
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References
The Selfish Gene ,
by Richard Dawkins
Passion and Reason: Making Sense of Our Emotions,
by Richard S.
Lazarus, Bernice N. Lazarus |
Fear, Sadness, Anger, Joy, Surprise, Disgust, Contempt,
Anger, Envy, Jealousy, Fright, Anxiety, Guilt, Shame, Relief, Hope, Sadness, Depression, Happiness,
Pride, Love, Gratitude, Compassion, Aesthetic Experience,
Joy, Distress, Happy-for, Sorry-for, Resentment, Gloating, Pride, Shame, Admiration, Reproach,
Love, Hate, Hope, Fear, Satisfaction, Relief, Fears-confirmed, Disappointment, Gratification,
Gratitude, Anger, Remorse,
power, dominance, status, relationships |
