Tribalism

Cultural identity is a double-edged sword. It binds people together so they can cooperate, but it also creates a sense of otherness for those not within that cultural group. Rooting for the home team can bind a city, but also creates hatred for a different city. Fighting for one’s nation, by definition, involves fighting against a different nation.

Those with no tribalism are seen as deplorable creatures. They do not care for their family, their city, their nation or their species; they are only interested in themselves. Society has a clear vested interest in cooperation and naturally looks down on such selfish behavior and sentiment.

Those with tribalism are usually spoken of well. They are called family men, culturally proud or patriots. The peak of tribalism seems to be the selfless humanitarian. People like Mother Theresa are deemed “saints” for their work. Still, tribalism has its negative sides as well. There are nepotists, racists and nationalists who care only for their tribe and care not for the rest.

Interestingly, the criticism of the nepotist, the racist and the nationalist is rarely that they have too much tribalism, yet lessening their tribalism can be a very effective solution to tribalist hatred. German and Japanese warmongering may have been mitigated by selfish modernity. Wearing a shirt that says “me power” is probably better than “white power.”

Instead of lessening tribalism, there is usually a perception that more tribalism can cure nepotism, racism and nationalism. By reaching the level of humanitarian where everyone is in one’s tribe, all hatred would be eradicated. Unity of tribe leads to elimination of tribe.

I used to believe that I was at the highest level, that I was a humanitarian. Then, when I was speaking with my uncle a while back about having children, I had second thoughts. He was childless and felt liberated because he could care about society without selfish interest. I, on the other hand, wanted to children. I had the belief that the whole point of caring for the world is because my descendents will be in it. It occurred to me that I was not the highest level, but the lowest. I was only a humanitarian because I thought it would logically bring safety and security to my descendents, not because I really care about other people.

So it seems, in the expanding universe of tribalism and caring, there is a point where the incredibly small meets the incredibly vast. The truly selfish and the truly selfless should have the same goal of cooperation. It is not too surprising since the reduction of tribalism leads to its elimination and the unification of tribalism leads to its elimination. I suppose the lesson is to love everyone or love thyself, but anything in-between leads to hatred.