Halley Suitt recently responded to an old comment on Pete Kaminski’s blog, explaining that the Alpha Male series was intended ironically.
Trouble was, I’ve seen and heard enough un-ironic alpha male culture that I honestly couldn’t tell. Early in my career, I worked in places that ran on old-fashioned, quid pro promotion sexual harassment. Popular culture has plenty of serious retro “post-feminist” dreck about “real women” and “real men”.
I read some of the blog-link fan letters to the original Alpha Male posts, including posts from guys I otherwise like and respect. It was clear that a good number of readers took the series straight.
I hate the idea of admirable, delightful geeky guys missing the irony and acting macho in an attempt to live the alpha male fantasy. I remember one really depressing conversation during the boom, when a male colleague explained that he always wanted to be a teacher, but got an MBA because women would like him better as a high-paid corporate guy. Personally, I thought he’d be more attractive if he had less money and more commitment to his nature and values.
One way to read the series is 50s gender roles as a thrilling way to play with now-forbidden power dynamics. I have no cause to argue with anything that floats the boats of other consenting adults. But playing CEO-seduces-the secretary just doesn’t do it for me. Power relations among real humans are complicated enough without 50s gender-role drag.