Who created the idea of an alpha? A human. It's a human word for a concept a human thought up. There's nothing biological or sociological to suggest it's even a real trope in animals. Even in mountain gorilla troops and other primates where there appears to be a single large adult male leading the group, it turns out from study that it's more of a profunctory role and the whole group is more involved with decisions. The idea of an alpha leader really comes more from human societies, as there's actual sociological evidence there, whereas with animals it usually comes down to a more mixed hierarchy.
I don't think this is true. Humans, like other mammals, have fairly clear hierarchies. What's interesting (and what the article argues) is that these hierarchies aren't based on brute strength or ability to win a fight or aggressiveness (though these can be factors). But this doesn't change the fact that animals have clear hierarchies.
I don’t think anyone uses alpha/beta terminology to simply mean “the hierarchy”, and I find it disingenuous that you keep arguing as such.
The common interpretation is that “an alpha” is someone/thing that can take over a group by being the strongest (where strength in wolves is domination through physical strength, and humans in social domination). This is the myth. Hierarchies exist, but not for this reason.
The comment I responded to explicitly questions hierarchies in nature. It suggests that leadership is "perfunctory" and that "with animals it usually comes down to a more mixed hierachy".
