Tribal not Racial
White or Black, Progressive or Conservative, Religious or Atheist, Rich or Poor, Beer or Wine, Nascar or Tennis, Movies or Books, the list goes on. It is only natural for us to wonder: Where do we fit in? I propose that we don't necessarily fit in to the race we were born with, but into something else, and that something else is a Tribe.
Recently, in the United States, there has been an ardent push for racial justice. I agree that there may be some merit to addressing the inadequacies of the justice system. And yet we must ask ourselves if this issue is as great as the news media presents it on T.V. The fact is, for many decades, racial inequality has been slowly but surely receding into the archives of American history. What hasn't been diminishing is our tribal mentality...especially in the last couple decades. There have been many who wish to divide this great nation, using racial disparity as the weapon of choice, all the while, knowing full-well that the cornerstone of anger is not about skin color.
I don't want to be as naïve to say that racial tension doesn't exist - it does. However, I believe race is not what is at the heart of this divide in America. I believe it's what is in our hearts that divides us. Our belief system is a powerful force that moves us toward those who think like us or protect us from outside forces. And with the use of the internet and social media, it is easy to find others who bind us together into likeminded groups. Tribes are groups or clans that bond people together with a common interest. Tribes are where we connect with others who have similar beliefs. Tribes are where we feel connected with one another and have a sense of belonging. Those are the good aspects of Tribes. Nevertheless, Tribes also have a dark underbelly of the Us vs Them syndrome. America has always had a competitive spirit; but when taken to extremes, it can be misused to reveal our ugly side.
Let me dispel the idea that race is predominant in American society, using a few examples.
First, if most of America was racist, Barak Obama could never have been elected the President of the United States - twice. The electoral college is the deciding factor in who wins the presidency, and only a majority of states' people provide that.
Second, if most of religious America was racist, color would be segregated to a particular religious group. And yet, as time moves on, minorities are less likely to worship with their skin color.
Third, Blacks have seen exceptional upward mobility in the areas of Education, Sports, Finance, Law, and so on. The list is so large, just naming people of color would take pages. Blacks, Whites, Browns, etc. are on news shows together, in churches together, on sports teams together, and work side by side - everywhere.
The common factor I have found that divides America, is group identity, or tribes. Tribes have been around since the dawn of man, and has not left us alone. Ancient tribes may have originally had only one race within their group, but this is 2022 AD, and rarely seen in American society. In the past, tribes would have been useful to cling to one another when an enemy, animal, or storm needed to be confronted. People had had a sense of pride, belonging to a group of people of like minds. In the quest for survival, race was the last thing on a tribes' mind. In fact, thousand of years ago, when the Israelites travelled across the wasteland as tribes, they accepted any other foreigner or race of people, as long as they follow the existing traditions and beliefs.
In the past, a tribe's duty was to defeat an enemy or kill a beast, or do whatever it took for their own survival. Present day, political groups are the perfect example. There are Blacks and Whites in both Republican and Democrat party. And yet, regardless of that mix, when in a discussion on how to run the country ensues, soon the parties are at each others throats. When Trump was elected, there was joyous surprise for the Republicans, but there was also disappointment and panic by the Democrats. It wasn't because he was a rich white man, it was because the Democrats held the belief that he would threaten the country and/or survival of their group. When Biden was elected, the script was the same - but in reverse.
Most tribal members belong to a large group, and yet also belong to smaller sub-groups or clans. A progressive minority person who is a Democrat may also be an activist with Greenpeace, a member in a bike club, believe in a woman's right to an abortion, and a sports fanatic, However, if that same person believed that abortion was wrong, then it would most likely put them on the fringe of the Democrat party if not be shunned for their views. A conservative Republican could work for the Peace Corps, also be in a bike club, and be a sports fanatic, but if they believed in a woman's right to choose an abortion, they too would be shunned by members of their group for their position. This may indicate not only that there is a requirement for more loyalty to the tribe, but also why the Republican and Democrat numbers are shrinking. Meanwhile, the Independent party continues to expand. Independents have not defined themselves and therefore allow more variation and less defined loyalty in their party.
There are other sub-groups, like race, language, or a particular eccentricity, that may not mix with the larger mainstream tribe. Anarchists (who burn and loot for their cause) could be accepted within the Tribe of Left Wing Progressives, but would be ostracized by the majority of Americans. White Supremacists could be accepted by some Right Wing Conservatives, but shown disgust also by a majority of Americans. Once again, it isn't the whiteness or blackness, but the extreme differences of beliefs.
During the 2020-2021 Covid-19 pandemic, there were the mask wearing clans, who were shouting at the non-mask wearers...calling them science deniers and anti-vaxxers. On the other hand, the non-mask supporters would call the maskers sheep, who didn't stand up for their constitutional rights. The animosity was still the same for the opposite belief system. People of differing races, genders, sexual orientation, and so on, were represented in both the mask or unmasked groups.
It is easy to find ourselves tethered to a clan and tribe. However, it is good to reassess our reasons for being in our place. What is difficult, is knowing we may not belong, yet want to be with them. We have to make the hard decision whether or not to sever our ties to the clan or tribe. My view is that we should accept that which we cannot change (such as skin color) and work on that which we can (attitude and beliefs). Todd Rose's recent book Collective Illusions examines the way we as a people try to fit in to where the public thinks we should be, instead of admitting what is truly important in our lives and standing up for those principles.
Sometimes we just don't fit in to the Tribe. Or, sometimes we aren't accepted into it. But that does not mean you are not acceptable. It also doesn't mean you NEED to be with a particular clan or tribe. We are all humans with varying beliefs and are on a path to discovering what those beliefs are. What we should be aware of, is how our dark side wants us to be angry and be divided. Don't let that drag you down into the depths of hate. And don't let the voices in the media tell you how you need to think and believe. We must be able to find our own place in this wild world of clans and tribes. Ultimately, and hopefully, through introspection and good dialogue, we will learn to accept others, and be able to include them in our life...as they too are on their own journey of discovery of the clans and tribes where they truly belong.
https://www.pewforum.org/2021/02/16/faith-among-black-americans/pf_02-16-21_black-religion-00-1/
