Families Get the Moose

In the 1970’s, the biologist David Mech, without knowing how much his research would form society’s thinking, reported back to civilization from nature’s dense woods his “confirmation” of earlier studies on the relationships between wolves in their packs. The famous ALPHA wolf, the dominating and at times violent leader, is the term the world would come to know all thanks to his best selling book, “The Wolf.” Without any hostility or ill intent toward his own, Mech told the world about his savage wolves, and the "civilized” heard his voice loud and clear. Although this is just my opinion, I like to discuss how Mech’s alpha became a term and an image that could now bring to light a once discreet social philosophy of dominance seeking power. I also like to point out how it gave greater strength to a quiet and growing agenda that works to this day to violently attack the family. This idea of the alpha amongst many other ideologies and movements is what gave those who detested gender roles, marriage and family, a straighter pathway to reshaping culture and the family, and not for the better as we will see.

To give a little bit more background on the birth of the alpha concept. This claim that came out of the thicket that wolf packs were built on dominance and violence from Mech did not get its start from his erroneous misinterpretation of natural wolf societies. The research that made the alpha concept famous among biologists first was actually built around an understanding of wolves living in man-made copses. Rodolf Schenkel, an animal behaviorist, and a person who had great influence on Mech, observed in the 1940’s, a group of wolves in these artificial environments. More like prisoners, these wolves were ripped from their own families and forced to live an unnatural lifestyle. Less like a home and more like a work camp, Schenkel’s and Mech’s science which operates on correlation, could not correlate that these animals were no longer seeking family bonds, but struggling to survive from the bonds that man had placed on them. We all know that science seeks truth, but very few of us realize that this does not translate that science also seeks meaning. Science more often than not strips meaning away and only “knowing” what is observable remains. 

In this case of the caged wolves, we find that when discovery was prioritized and meaning taken out of the equation, the only thing left to observe was a power struggle. Without meaning, these wolves became nothing more than their raw instinct for science to study. With nothing left but raw instinct, science was able to extract and potentialize the wolf’s great powers which ultimately lead to competition and a military-like hierarchy. These once free apex predators became wild animals in captivity. Living in an unstable and caged society–a prison with a group of broken and wounded individuals could only create a culture made not of love and family, but of appetite and “alphas.”

What is funny to think about is that science seeks to debunk myth and lore. In the case of the alpha wolf, this idea ironically transformed a culture into believing in the “wolfman.” Clinging onto behaviors that came from caged animals, society was captivated by the alpha concept, and began to really celebrate the raw animal instinct over reason. To practice self-control started to feel “unnatural.” Rather, the desire to indulge in sexual appetites for example became the most natural and authentic expression for an individual. This was the type of thinking that began to leave no room for meaningful relationships. Instead, the idea led to men becoming hunters and women became the prey. The iconic symbol of the playboy bunnies for example, dressed these women perfectly to play the part of a wolf’s meal. 

It was not until almost 20 years later after the 1970 best selling book by Mech that he retracted what he had said. He had realized almost immediately when he was able to observe wolves up close in nature without restrictions that there were no alpha males nor alpha females. What did he find? He only found fathers, mothers and their offspring. He realized that wolf packs are formed by families, and like a true family, there is no fighting for dominance. There was no violence to be “top-dog.” This was the reality of wolves in the wild, but his publisher would not take down his best selling book even after he asked them to. The concept of the alpha had infused itself into culture and the damage I believe had been done.

Now I want us to take a moment and reflect on two societies whose center is or should be the family living next to one another. Through the thick woods outside the civilized world, we find wolf families that continue to blossom with monogamous relationships that last for life. In comparison, 41% of USA families are ending in divorce. I am not saying that the concept of the alpha is the root cause. There are various other reasons why almost half of families end in divorce. It only becomes bitter irony to think that a high society that once peeked through the holes of the cages of the wild beasts has become more similar to an ensnared animal than the wild nomad. The roaming families in the woods are not at all modeled by power but around structures like love and playfulness. It was also observed that there is great concern for the individual in wolf packs. The young were observed by Mech for example being given priority in scarce times of food. Wolves in cages did not demostrate this kind of behavior. Now regardless if caged or in the woods roaming free, the male wolf is no doubt the overall muscle, but interesting enough when it comes to family, the female wolf is the strength. In comparison, the civilized society outside the woods seems to disagree with this model, and leans toward ideals like the alpha infrastructure of power and dominance. 

To just make two other comparisons. There are men today who will celebrate the “lone wolf” idea. No where in nature is there such a thing as a lone wolf. Only when a wolf is looking for a mate. This lone wolf idea is a symptom to a superficial understanding of how relationships work. This leads into the other comparison where love in today’s culture is warped, twisted, and has been stripped down to nothinginess so that it can be anything. Wolves however, root themselves deep in family relations. Love for them has meaning, and it comes from creating strength within, honoring each and everyone’s role in the family and guaranteeing future generations. It seems that human society rather see a culture where families are broken apart, and imprisoned with ideals that attack each role in the family. For example, the muscle of the men becomes oppressive. The strength of the mother becomes her weakness, and instead of obedient children–wild and rebellious hellraisers.  

Now here is an interesting point to consider following what was just said. For a family to survive, wolves understood a long time ago that an individual in the harsh conditions of nature can accomplish very little, but when you take that same individual and form a family around them something changes. The collective strength that exists in a loving family is able to accomplish anything. Even bringing down a moose which can be up to 15 times bigger than a wolf. The consequences of living in a loving family that nurtures and protects one another allows for the individual to thrive and grow. It gives families a fighting chance. Returning back to Schenkel’s imprisoned wolves. The only chance these wolves had was to fight among each other, only to end up living an imbalanced wolf existence. The disharmonies that exist in human society are in many ways reflective of Schenkel’s wolves. The severe consequences of culture animorphing into the alpha wolf only creates a reality that fractures and places the strong to overpower the weak. Dominance is sought out, and those who claim it will do anything to hold on to it. Even if that means violence. Even if it means the destruction of the family.

Mech cannot be blamed. As a scientist, he was only doing his job, however; this essay is not about uncovering and discussing who is to blame. It is my opinion that is seeking to recognize an error that needs to be corrected. It is 2026. Over 30 years have passed since Mech corrected himself. No longer should we look at ideals that were built around the framework of broken homes. The science that once recognized alphas and hierarchies cannot be the art in which culture renders its true reality. The heresy of the alpha will never offer a true sense of self. It will never be good for a society because it will never build up families which Pope John XXIII said is “the first essential cell of human society”–society’s true center. To stick with the alpha philosophy will only keep an individual imprisoned in a reality that does not really exist. What will result? A society of confused, broken and wounded individuals that have never experienced the joys of a loving family. They will only know division, heartbreak, violence and a feeling of being caged up, hearing deep within themselves these voices that cry out for freedom, love, peace, and a sense of belonging. Does this sound like the culture of today? 

If you answered yes to the question above, I would like to take this moment and remind you that wolves that were imprisoned, and have suffered can be reintroduced to their natural homes. It is a complex process, but it can be done. Even if society is living in a culture that appears more like Schenkel’s zoo, families, like wolves, can be returned to their original gardens, and live a paradise that is filled with love and playfulness. “With all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love” Christ has given us the ability “to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:2-3). I hope that this article is used for those who read it as a tool to reeducate themselves and also to teach others regarding the errors of the alpha and the true meaning of what it means to be in a family.  

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