It Isn’t Left or Right, Its Tribalism

 

Over our country’s history the political parties have shifted, and sometimes moved ideologically in a big way.  Hard core Republicans and Democrats don’t want to hear this, but in today’s political climate, as probably we always were, we are much more tribal.

            It is solidly in our DNA to gravitate toward those we identify with. Those who make us feel our opinions and beliefs are right. Once we ‘find’ our tribe we are susceptible to the shifting opinions of that tribe. Nothing stays the same in real life. Each political party has members who represent various factions of ideology.

            What is going on is much more than polarization. There aren’t just two ‘sides’; there are multiple tribes. And once a person is steeped in the identity of a certain tribe, they are susceptible to the shifting tides of it. Distrust the government, there are several tribes who adhere to that. Distrust rich people? Distrust Wall Street? Suspicious of environmental conservation projects? Look down on rural communities? Urban communities? Suspicious of efforts toward racial justice? Distrusting of government shifting the material to be taught to our children?

            Each tribe holds multiple beliefs, and as one gravitates to one tribe because they believe in prudent fiscal spending, for instance, they become susceptible to the other beliefs within this group; perhaps the opinion that all lower income people want the government to give them more free money and services.

            A tribe who doesn’t trust the government can easily extend this suspicion to the medical community, a similar big power group. A tribe who believes wealthy people are untrustworthy may eventually add the opinion that there is a sinister group of wealthy people trying to take over the whole planet for themselves.  

            The biggest take away from this situation is to understand how we are influenced by those we listen to and hang around. To be insightful as to how and why we think a certain way about a topic. To question our own beliefs. To not just buy in to one political party in its entirety. Because each is made up of multiple tribes.