It seems to me that we need to somehow overcome our own insecurity if we are to avoid this tendency toward tribalism. Implicit in the tendency toward tribalism is the thinking that "well, I personally am inadequate, but at least I am a member in good standing of a tribe which is good, or at least better than the enemy tribe".
Not saying that we can ever eradicate personal insecurity, but if we can mitigate that problem by means of better parenting, education, mindfulness and what have you, we may see the damage done by tribalism abate.
Thanks for adding your wisdom, Dave. The point you are pointing us to consider is crucial and often ignored. Totalitarians exploit this weakness in human nature.
Eric Hoffer pointed in a similar direction when he wrote, “A man is likely to mind his own business when it is worth minding. When it is not, he takes his mind off his own meaningless affairs by minding other people's business.”
The Heffernan story illustrates another weakness we're all prone to (or perhaps it's the same weakness you describe from a different view): turning a simple act that could be reacted to in a simple way ("Thanks!") into a mind-twisting frenzy of agonizing which apparently went on for hours, if not days, in her brain. When this tendency gains sway, nothing is simple; everything must be categorized and analyzed down to a gnat's eyelash. It's possible to build gigantic mental castles of such thoughts, the disruption of any tiny portion of which is regarded as a near-mortal threat. Taken to an extreme, literally everyone else becomes an enemy, because everyone disagrees with me about SOMETHING. As Zorba in Zorba the Greek puts it: "You think too much, that is your trouble. Clever people and grocers, they weigh everything."
Being clever is not a bad thing, of course, but it's susceptible to extreme misuse which can lead to an isolated and unhappy life.
Wonderfully expressed, JdL. "Taken to an extreme, literally everyone else becomes an enemy, because everyone disagrees with me about SOMETHING." Love it. As you say, taking our thinking too seriously is a universal weakness.
Indeed, Diane. And as JdL pointed to human beings are judgment machines. Commerce helps us see the humanity in others and so markets send us in the right direction.
It seems to me that we need to somehow overcome our own insecurity if we are to avoid this tendency toward tribalism. Implicit in the tendency toward tribalism is the thinking that "well, I personally am inadequate, but at least I am a member in good standing of a tribe which is good, or at least better than the enemy tribe".
Not saying that we can ever eradicate personal insecurity, but if we can mitigate that problem by means of better parenting, education, mindfulness and what have you, we may see the damage done by tribalism abate.
Thanks for adding your wisdom, Dave. The point you are pointing us to consider is crucial and often ignored. Totalitarians exploit this weakness in human nature.
Eric Hoffer pointed in a similar direction when he wrote, “A man is likely to mind his own business when it is worth minding. When it is not, he takes his mind off his own meaningless affairs by minding other people's business.”
That's a great quote, and there certainly is a whole lot of minding other people's business going on, both inside and outside government.
Dave, Here is one of my essays that speaks to your point: https://fee.org/articles/our-grievances-fuel-political-demagogues/
The Heffernan story illustrates another weakness we're all prone to (or perhaps it's the same weakness you describe from a different view): turning a simple act that could be reacted to in a simple way ("Thanks!") into a mind-twisting frenzy of agonizing which apparently went on for hours, if not days, in her brain. When this tendency gains sway, nothing is simple; everything must be categorized and analyzed down to a gnat's eyelash. It's possible to build gigantic mental castles of such thoughts, the disruption of any tiny portion of which is regarded as a near-mortal threat. Taken to an extreme, literally everyone else becomes an enemy, because everyone disagrees with me about SOMETHING. As Zorba in Zorba the Greek puts it: "You think too much, that is your trouble. Clever people and grocers, they weigh everything."
Being clever is not a bad thing, of course, but it's susceptible to extreme misuse which can lead to an isolated and unhappy life.
Wonderfully expressed, JdL. "Taken to an extreme, literally everyone else becomes an enemy, because everyone disagrees with me about SOMETHING." Love it. As you say, taking our thinking too seriously is a universal weakness.
Hi Barry,
Might you have an essay on the trilateral commission, technocracy and how it is playing out today?
Hi Robert, I have written many essays covering aspects of technocracy but none on the trilateral commission. Here is one: https://www.aier.org/article/the-tyranny-of-alleged-experts/
Indeed, Diane. And as JdL pointed to human beings are judgment machines. Commerce helps us see the humanity in others and so markets send us in the right direction.