Jan 13 2009
The Dance of Dominance
Who knows the power of your anger? For your wrath is as great as the fear that is due you. (Psalms 90:11)
To dance you need partners. To be dominant you need subordinates. If your displays are ignored, just whom are you dominating?
A term for the phenomenon is agonism. “Agonism refers to aggressive and submissive behaviors considered together: the crouching and bobbing of a subordinate male chimpanzee is scored as agonistic by an observing primatologist, just as is the aggressive swaggering and arm-waving of the male’s higher-ranking rival. (4)
Dominants remind subordinates of their relative rank through periodic displays. We will be looking at the varied nature of these displays in future posts, but for the moment it bears mentioning that they are, in general, an animated posturing, and accentuation of immanent aggression and potential harm. Chimpanzees will run, vigorously stamp on and slap the ground and tree trunks, swing on branches and vines, break and drag branches, uproot saplings and even toss stones and rocks into the air. (5) The displays of other primates naturally differ, according to their abilities, social structure, and intelligence/ingenuity.
On the subordinate side there is behavior that serves to reassure, placate and appease the dominant. Signals are sent of an accepted lesser status. These generally consists of smaller posture, quieter and more careful movements, vocalizations that express friendly intention and/or fear.
Displays are just that – displays. Threats are not acts, but an acted-out potential to do harm. In a sense, the threat is held-back aggression. The dominant infrequently does real harm, although he (sometimes she) certainly could. He just needs to threaten it and have his power acknowledged.
As a kid “raised” Catholic I was taught “God is the source of all mercy.” What is the meaning of this? At least originally, and from my primatology point of view, it means that although he certainly could, the almighty alpha will treat you kindly. In the past and in some forms of religion today, there is a big “if” attached. The great god must be appeased or he may unleash his wrath.
In many a religious ritual, appeasement in the form of displays of inferiority are central. Bowing (down), praising (the greater), asking for forgiveness, etc. These can be viewed as part of the dance of dominance. The crucial point is that in religion, the dominant agent is invisible.
Then Moses went up to God, and the LORD called to him from the mountain and said, “This is what you are to say to the house of Jacob and what you are to tell the people of Israel: ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt. (Exodus 19:3-4)
A threat.
I have seen these people,” the LORD said to Moses, “and they are a stiff-necked people. Now leave me alone so that my anger may burn against them and that I may destroy them. Then I will make you into a great nation.” (Exodus 32:9-10)
Stiff-necked people do not bow down sufficiently. They refuse to acknowledge their lesser status to THE dominant.
In his great power God becomes like clothing to me [grasps my clothing] ; he binds me like the neck of my garment. (Job 30:18)
Translation: Although he does not have a physical grasp of me or my neck, that is the effect of his presence in my life.
Surely your wrath against men brings you praise, and the survivors of your wrath are restrained. (Psalms 76:10)
One can see the Old-Testament god’s erected fur in that verse.
Will you never stop perverting the right ways of the Lord? Now the hand of the Lord is against you. You are going to be blind. (Acts 3:10-11)
Chimpanzees have very powerful arms and hands. That is why they include arm gestures in their threat displays.
Seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the survivors were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven. (Revelation 11:13)
In his words and supposed deeds, the monotheist god of the Western traditions does not say to his people, “stay away,” but “stay in line.” In your place in line. And show me you know it.
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(4) King, Barabara. The Dynamic Dance: Nonvocal Communication in African Great Apes, Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA, 2004, p. 155
(5) Boehm, C., Hierarchy in the Forest: The Evolution of Egalitarian Behavior, Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA., 1999, p. 19
