The Dominant Five Percent

[How Brown]

Going over a chapter in the Jakubowski/Brauund book ( The Mammoth ) by Gary Rowlands....I came across a reference to a comment Mr. Rowlands stated that Colin Wilson once made about the Ripper belonging to the "dominant five percent" of males in society.

Can we get some discussion going on this concept ?

[Big Jon]

I've just read this chapter, and it's very difficult to comment on without knowing the full context of this comment - or perhaps I'm just really tired!

Does Mr Wilson's comment refer to a belief that 5% of people like having power over others (through sexual games, sadism, or perhaps even legitimate means like politics or command)?

[How Brown]

Big:

I only have one book by Mr. Wilson ( co-written by the great gentleman,Robin Odell ) "Summing UP"....and did not remember seeing it in that book.

If someone does have a source that would be most appreciated.

Anyway,Big Time...the "dominant five" percent theory includes people like John Lennon, Hitler, Elvis,and others who have leadership attributes. I am of mixed opinion on this theory. Por ejemplo,amigo:

If Lennon's & The Beatles manager was a putz and not Brian Epstein, it might well have been another British band that came to the States first.

If someone had popped a cap in Hitler's hiney back on November 9th,1923...during the Putsch...who would have led the NSDAP ? Otto Strasser? Then you would have had a totally different world today.

If Elvis had a different manager than Col.Tom Parker...well,you get the drift...

Anyway....anyone else care to pitch in here with Jon & myself?

[Big Jon]

The people you listed seem more influential than dominant if you ask me. Not so much leadership, but in the right place at the right time. Jack could certainly be seen as influential. But their claim to influence is certainly circumstancial.

Do you happen to know if there has been any research on this topic? Though I'm not sure how you could even measure this!

[How Brown]

Jon:

If I can,I will try and skim through Wilson/Odell's book tonight...and maybe you and I could check google for a reference.

[How Brown]

Jon....

Never mind,Bigness...here you go:



http://www-personal.umich.edu/~jbmorgan/cwdisc8.html

[Big Jon]

Cheers How, that makes it much more clear. I'd still like to know where he got this figure from though. Since the theory isn't unique to him, I'll try reading up on it. Though it seems like a sociological theory to me, I'll look through some books tomorrow and see if it pops up in any psych or crim theories.

[How Brown]

BigMan:

Check this out:


I also believe that Wilson is one of the few philosophers to answer the call which Nietzsche issued over 100 years ago. Wilson not only has shown his willingness to venture into those areas which still remain forbidden to mainstream philosophers, but also represents a truly life-affirming attitude which the current crop of postmodernists surely are not working towards, despite their veneration of Nietzsche.--from that link

I question whether someone who discussed how many times he used to masturbate ( in the forward to the book about s.k. Gerald Schaefer..one of the most vile slimes who ever lived) and claimed he felt like a "brother" to Ian Brady ( Moors Murders)...can be considered Nietzschean.

We need Pilgrim to answer the call here...