tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30203557.post5767220290721410721..comments2024-03-26T01:10:13.720+00:00Comments on Teach Me Tonight: Good, Bad, Myth and RealismE. M. Selingerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00426524354823232002noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30203557.post-76100305828557779872007-03-19T17:41:00.000+00:002007-03-19T17:41:00.000+00:00When people start mentioning the betas and gammas ...When people start mentioning the betas and gammas as well as the alphas, my thoughts turn to <A HREF="http://www.huxley.net/bnw/two.html" REL="nofollow"><I>Brave New World</I></A>:<BR/><BR/><I> At the end of the room a loud speaker projected from the wall. The Director walked up to it and pressed a switch.<BR/><BR/> "… all wear green," said a soft but very distinct voice, beginning in the middle of a sentence, "and Delta children wear khaki. Oh no, I don't want to play with Delta children. And Epsilons are still worse. They're too stupid to be able to read or write. Besides they wear black, which is such a beastly colour. I'm </I>so<I> glad I'm a Beta."<BR/><BR/> There was a pause; then the voice began again.<BR/><BR/> "Alpha children wear grey. They work much harder than we do, because they're so frightfully clever. I'm really awfully glad I'm a Beta, because I don't work so hard. And then we are much better than the Gammas and Deltas. Gammas are stupid. They all wear green, and Delta children wear khaki. Oh no, I </I>don't<I> want to play with Delta children. And Epsilons are still worse. They're too stupid to be able …"</I><BR/><BR/>Which is completely off-topic, but I couldn't resist.Laura Vivancohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00906661869372622821noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30203557.post-16467333004800998812007-03-19T17:09:00.000+00:002007-03-19T17:09:00.000+00:00The alpha/beta/gamma terminology is common outside...The alpha/beta/gamma terminology is common outside romance -- it's used in describing different personalities and management styles amongst managers, for example. And I pick that example because I'm fairly sure that's where *I* get the terms from. Which means I've probably confused a few people, because I suspect my usage is subtly different to what a lot of romance readers mean by it...Jules Joneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16432742796166213191noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30203557.post-82445896281746911542007-03-19T16:15:00.000+00:002007-03-19T16:15:00.000+00:00And now I feel stupid. You were meaning these hero...And now I feel stupid. You were meaning these heroes were actually referred to as 'alpha' within the pages of the novel itself, weren't you? That could seem like a 'secret handshake' to romance readers who know the romance genre jargon, but the terms do seem to be used outside romance-reading circles too. I did a quick Google and found lots of examples, including <A HREF="http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/07/weekinreview/07lizza.html?ex=1325826000&en=9900b5e6f8d4afc3&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss" REL="nofollow">this article in the New York Times</A> about 'the return of the Alpha Male Democrat'.Laura Vivancohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00906661869372622821noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30203557.post-56964547911962872022007-03-19T16:04:00.000+00:002007-03-19T16:04:00.000+00:00Oh, I've read discussions about 'beta' and 'gamma'...Oh, I've read discussions about 'beta' and 'gamma' heroes (see <A HREF="http://www.likesbooks.com/63.html" REL="nofollow"> this AAR column for example</A>). The trouble is that people don't always agree what's meant by the terms, which can lead to a lot of confusion.Laura Vivancohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00906661869372622821noreply@blogger.com