Tribalism in politics: The Good, The Bad, The Ugly

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Reprinted with permission of Author Oren Long;

Tribalism in politics: The Good, The Bad, The Ugly
By; Oren Long

Webster's Dictionary defines "Tribe" as, "A human community developed by an association of, and interbreeding between, a number of families, opposed in principle to crossbreeding with other communities, and preserving its own customs, beliefs and organization.   A number of people associated by family relationship or by common interests, etc.".

We are all members of a tribe to a greater or lesser degree.   Most of us belong to multiple tribes, be they family, community, religious, regional, national, political, etc.   All of us belong to a 'tribal', nuclear family.   At the same time we probably see ourselves as belonging to a community, state, country, race, religion, and political party.   All are tribes.  Many identify as fans of a sports team, school, club, hobby, etc.   These, too, are tribes in a very real sense.

As humans, we like tribalism.   It makes us feel safe.   It puts us into a "comfort zone" with others we like and can feel comfortable with.   We don't have to worry about conflict.   We can do and say what we like without worrying about getting into arguments.   The others in our "tribe" probably agree with us and accept us as we are.   It is a natural tendency.   No one would voluntarily gravitate to a group with which we would find ourselves in conflict.  It would be asking for trouble, so we shy away.   Again, it's only natural.   


In and of itself, tribalism is neither good nor bad.   It is a way of identifying ourselves and finding others who share common interests.   But, taken to its extreme, tribalism can be bad and even ugly.   Some examples are racism, sexism, religious bigotry, economic bias, and political ideology.   Taken to their extreme, they can and do have negative consequences, especially in multi-cultural societies such as ours.  

Tribalism has existed from the very beginning.   Imagine yourself in a cave with other cavemen.   One day a stranger walks into your group.   He is dressed differently, looks different, talks different, and has different tools and weapons.  Your first instinct is for personal and group safety and survival.   Is he an enemy?   You don't know, but can't take the chance that he's not.   So, you kill him.  It's the safe play.   

This will not change unless and until humans evolve past it, well, assuming we don't kill each other off before that.

So, what does this have to do with politics?   Short answer, EVERYTHING!   Make no mistake, politics has become "tribal" in the extreme.   And, so, too, is society in general becoming increasingly tribal, negatively so, led by the extreme Left and hate-mongers for their own purposes, using the Democrat Party in pursuit of their anti-America agenda.

Politics is, by nature and instinct, TRIBAL!   Political parties are "tribes" of like-minded people, with common interests and beliefs who form together to achieve commonly desired goals.   They tend to see opposing parties as an "enemy" seeking to thwart their agenda.   Party members tend to react to opposing party members in much the same way as the caveman cited above.   Even those within a party who deviate from the party mantra can find themselves cast out for not adhering to generally accepted party norms.   

Sometimes, competing tribes can come together to defeat a more threatening, common enemy (tribe).   Then, once that enemy is defeated, they go back to fighting each other.   This happened in WWII when America, England, and others joined forces with Russia to defeat Germany, Italy, and Japan.   Then, when the war was over, Russia, once again, became the enemy.

Fast forward to current events.   The Republicans and Democrats in Washington have traditionally been at each others' throats, sometimes more, sometimes less.   But, overall, they fought and quarreled.   

THEN CAME TRUMP!   Instantly, almost instinctively, the Washington Elite and Deep State (I call it "Fortress Washington") came together to defeat this interloper.   He wasn't one of them!   He wasn't part of the "club" (tribe)!   Who does he think he is telling us "smart people" how to run the country?   We'll show him, even if it means adopting a "scorched earth" policy, destroying everything!   In the end, ONLY "Fortress Washington" and the status quo matter!   ONLY the "tribe" matters.

The ongoing fight over the border is a perfect example.   Before Trump, both parties agreed that the border had to be secured.   Before Trump, both parties voted for massive funding to secure the border, well, someday, maybe.   BUT, when Trump was elected on securing the border and promised to actually do it, EVERYTHING CHANGED -- INSTANTLY!   Suddenly, just because Trump says it, it is evil, inhumane, and unamerican.   Suddenly, everyone, Democrat and Republican alike, insists that the border is fine just the way it is.   "There's no crisis, no emergency, no problem!   Everything is fine!"   

It all goes right back to tribalism.   Trump is not part of the tribe, so he MUST be defeated.   It doesn't matter that he's right.   It ONLY matters that he's not part of the "Tribe".   Just like the outsider walking into the caveman camp, Trump talks different, acts different, thinks different so MUST be the enemy.   "Kill him" becomes the hue and cry of "Fortress Washington".   "He's not one of us" is all that matters!

In a way, Trump is a secular version of Jesus.   He has marched into the Temple (Washington), flipped over the tables of the money-changers (lobbyists and big donors), and challenged the Rabbis (Fortress Washington).   And, just like Jesus, he did it as an outsider (not part of the Tribe).   They hate him for it!   Just as they killed Jesus for His temerity, they want to kill Trump -- figuratively or literally!

Trump's ONLY ally is US and he knows it!   So, too, does Fortress Washington know it.   Why do you think We The People are so often and viciously impugned, berated, scoffed at, and insulted?   We, too, are the enemy.  We, too, are locked out of the power-elite "tribe".   Again, like the caveman outsider, we are not to be trusted.   We just don't understand how things are done in Fortress Washington.   We just need to go home, sit down, shut up, and sulk.   They'll handle everything.   Yeah, right!  

They've done such a BANG-UP job!

Oren