The dangers of tribalism

Editor,

World peace remains elusive, thus raising the question of whether it is possible. Even peace within our country is in question. For tribalism is continuing to tear us apart. Unless we learn to view and treat each other each other with respect, it will continue to threaten our existence as a human race.

You could argue that we have existed with it for centuriesand you would be right.  But we have become a global community, interconnected and dependent upon one another.  All conflicts and environmental crisis’s now have the ability to destroy us. Our survival means we must learn to cooperate and seek solutions in a less adversarial fashion.

Years ago, I read a scientific paper by Margaret Mead.  She posited that it is biological for us to be tribal. The implication was that we cannot help ourselves. This is repugnant to me andinsults our intellectual potential. While tribalism may be inherent, it can be overcome. It won’t be easy, but it must happen.Tribalism is defined as exaltation of the tribe above other groups. Exaltation means that you raise in rank, power and character a particular tribe or group.

When I was younger, tribes brought to mind Apaches or Navaho Indians. But tribalism is any group brought together by common beliefs and cause.

Tribes have been formed to protect not only our physical selves, but have also been formed to protect our emotional selves.Studies show that it is natural and biological to protect your physical and emotional self.  Protecting ourselves from physical danger is obviously inherent, but often our emotional beliefs become so much a part of our ego and our existence that we feel threatened by those who don’t share them. That can cause us to see others as the enemy.

How do we temper that to enable us to live peacefully with others?

A tribe can be a beneficial support group, but when the tribe circles their wagons with the intent to destroy outsiders, it becomes a threat to the greater good.

For instance, politicians are using tribalism to activate our natural fears of outsiders. Political ads are full of lies, exaggeration and fear mongering that manipulates us to respond emotionally and adversarially to “others”. The message is that we need to eliminate those “others.”

Unless we use our higher-level thinking skills of reason to counteract it, our lives will continue to be directed by those with an evil self-serving agenda.

Before we even realize what has happened, our belief system will have been molded to see outsiders, or those different than we are, as a danger.  Ultimately, that causes the tribe to look for ways to protect itself, often with laws, guns and violence.

Today we see all sorts of exaggerated dialogue.  We have been warned by politicians, talk show hosts or even columnists that socialists and democrats are evil and will destroy us.

Religious talk show hosts have warned that Christians will have their churches burned if democrats are in office.  Protectionists warn that evil outsiders from throughout the world are flooding our borders and we need to send troops and militia to the borders to defend ourselves.Women have been accused of becoming a threat to men for speaking out about the sexual abuse that has happened to them. Men have been warned that they need to fear for their very existence; minorities and women are taking their jobs and their power.

Do we want to live in such a toxic atmosphere of hate and distrust?

Do we want to demonize our family, friends and neighbors?

How often are emotions whipped into a frenzy over an issue without the voice of reason intervening.  Obviously, each of us needs to activate that voice of reasoning within us.

Stevan Hobfoll writes about Tribalism.  He says, “Our advanced brain developed rapidly and greatly to engender the capabilities of empathy, insight, and the ability to step back from the problem and consider its many facets. Humans have the unique ability to think in the abstract--- We need to apply that genetic template to politics, religion, work and our views of the ‘others’.”

It is not easy to recognize when our primitive brain is in control, but we must learn to step back and question what is really happening and exactly what we are hearing before reacting.   It is possible for each of us to do that.  It is called using our higher-level thinking skills within our advanced human brain.

Our world is facing many basic problems.  There are increasing numbers of people needing diminishing resources. Garbage on the land, the seas and in the air is poisoning us. Climate change is real: drought is real: epidemic hatred is real; environmental illness is increasing. These issues need to be addressed in a reasoned fashion without the bias of tribalism.

We need to come to the problem-solving table in an atmosphere of love and respect for our fellow human beings.

Barbara Parsons

Rawlins, Wyoming