The Misunderstood "Alpha Male"

Essentially, this post is just a branch off my last post about a particular subset of romance novels that have taken the reading world by storm in the last year or so.

The post in question can be found HERE. Peruse it, get familiar with it if you like. If you do not care to read it, then I'll paraphrase as best as I can. 

Abusive books, blahblahblah, Young women being misled in the ways of romance, blahblah. I'm appalled that people read these kinds of books and praise them as much as they do when they live unhealthy relationships and know how uncool it is, blahbleeeblooo. Authors using BDSM as a smokescreen for abusive 'heroes' - and I use that term loosely. My hero doesn't need to know my bank account number or need me to sign a contract before we engage in physical activities. - blah. You get the picture.

Yes. I can "blah" myself. I wrote it. :P

Anywho, I've been cruising Goodreads aimlessly. Ya know, because the idea of sleeping is a joke. And I've come to realize that people have been shelving these books as "Alpha Male". 

I don't understand. There's being an Alpha Male and then there's abusing folks. BIG difference to the women who've been on the business end of a fist or verbal rant. But we won't go there. That's a topic of a different sort.

Wait. I'll break it down.

**Alpha male

An alpha male is the top-ranking animal in a social group.

OR

**Human examples

Alpha male can also refer to an aggressive, highly-ranked man in a human group – usually in a business setting.

Alright. I got that. Here's what I'm getting an ear and eye-full of.

**Abuse

Abuse is a term used for the use or treatment of something which causes hurt. Abuse is generally done by another life form. For example, animal abuse is normally done on animals, by humans. Drug or alcohol abuse is the misuse (especially overuse) of drugs or alcohol. Abuse can also occur when somebody of a higher class thinks they are better than another and hurts them to make their status clear.Abuse can be raping, or sexism.

Yep. Sounds about right. Abuse covered by a smokescreen deemed "alpha male".

What I want to know is, in what world do these two terms meet in the middle? 

And will we ever call bullshit on what seems to be the new fad in books? --A.

**Source: Wikipedia.com