Tribalism: a great article by Andrew Sullivan in NY Mag today. I will post link.

[Pisces]

http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2017/09/can-democracy-survive-tribalism.html

[KT2000]

1. it is how and why

advertising and propaganda works so well. How many people supported tRump because they did not want to go against their peers? Group identification is more important to a person's life than what is good for the country.

Propaganda has defined the environmental issues along class lines. Those who fight for protection of the environment are supposed elitists - as defined by industry. Working people have to fight against the elitists to protect their jobs. Of course this is bogus but it is the battlefield set up by those who want to make money off the destruction of a healthy environment.

Humans are relieved of actually thinking when they find comfort in belonging to a "tribe." Most people are followers and power knows that.

[yallerdawg]

2. We all lament human nature.

Come to the "Heart of Dixie."

Pick a college football team: "Alabama" or "Auburn."

You just picked a tribe!

Same if you pick Democrat or Republican.

"Never the twain shall meet." The question is - should they?

Or - as Alabama fans know - the goal is total, unquestionable dominance (and yes, one point counts the same as a hundred!)!

[Dawson Leery]

3. kick

[Girard442]

4. Good read, but there's really only one major American tribe: Republicans.

We liberal, secular types aren't really a tribe; we're the barbarian rabble at the gates (to them anyway). If we had the same intense level of tribal loyalties and cohesion they have, we would have crushed them under our heel years ago.

Not saying that's a good thing, although I have days, y'know.

[Pisces]

5. I agree that Repblicans are more loyal to their tribe, but we have similar issues. Ex. all of the

Bernie and Hillary fighting. Both have flaws that we should be able to discuss and criticize but all discussion is hijacked by those who can not abide criticism of their chosen leader. We should be able to crush the other team, but we are not willing to do what it takes ( Conform)

[mountain grammy]

6. Yeah, I have those days too. Great point!

[muriel_volestrangler]

7. I'm not convinced by his argument that Trump is best placed to end it

Looking at this from outside the USA, I think the fundamental 'tribalism' in the USA that is the problem is the bigoted version - the people for whom fear, hate and revenge are the binding factors. It's non-hating Republicans - and I think they do exist, they just have different ideas about economics or fairness, but I think that's a continuum - who could make the difference by rejecting Trump and his ideology of hate. But not Trump.

I could see McCain, or Romney, doing something to bring the Republicans back to the centre. But that hate is built into Trump's base personality; and it's what he built his campaign on. There's no way he could turn round convincingly on that. He is the biggest problem in the Republicans, and the only way this gets solved is by his complete disappearance from politics. Preferably after a conviction and prison sentence. Without that, he is validating the hatred of a section of Americans who define themselves by it.

[Pisces]

9. I don't think McCain holds much power within the base, and Romney is a Mormon. Many evangelicals

Were not sold on him. I think both can be reasoned with, but we have a tribe that does not want reason to be part of their platform.

[TexasBushwhacker]

10. Yeah, if Trump won fair and square it might be different

But he didn't. He had to cheat and others were more than happy to help him cheat. That is simply unacceptable.

[Hekate]

8. Very long article indeed -- also thought provoking. Thanks.