Bill, I think the main source of the extreme right-wing and the Republican Party is tribalism. It is the socio-political tribalism spread through social media and Fox, which may be overpowering Democracy. Combating tribalism doesn't rest simply with better messaging by the Democratic Party, while necessary, we need to find the roads to reality and reaching the tribes.
Bill, I think the main source of the extreme right-wing and the Republican Party is tribalism. It is the socio-political tribalism spread through social media and Fox, which may be overpowering Democracy. Combating tribalism doesn't rest simply with better messaging by the Democratic Party, while necessary, we need to find the roads to reality and reaching the tribes.
I prefer to call it "white supremacy." "Tribalism" sounds so antiseptic and distant, and besides, there's nothing inherently wrong with tribes: humans banding together to survive when individuals and even small groups don't have much of a chance. The extreme right and the GOP have banded together to perpetuate white supremacy in the U.S. Whether they are or aren't a tribe isn't all that important. (NB: At this point I'm not clear on what the NON-extreme right comprises, or even if such a thing exists.)
Many of us, including Jews, know that 'tribalism' is not 'antiseptic' as it can be anti what is chosen to be so. More about this subject, Susanna, often and soon.
Maybe if we substitute tribalism with nationalism we can better understand the direction we are being dragged. This brand of nationalism, promoted by both church and GOP, has nothing to do with religious freedom and national pride. This is the brand of nationalism used by corrupt politicians to turn a democratically governed republic into a dictatorship or the Christian version of ISIS.
The current effort to prevent a free and fair election is part of the overall plan to end our democracy. The propaganda machine has been chugging along steadily since about 2000 CE, with Fox Entertainment and Alex Jones being joined now by several outfits with different levels of expertise in sophistry.
The main source of GOP nationalism comes from history. Every authoritarian regime begins with a non-stop propaganda machine, calling for burning books and their authors, ostracizing everything and everybody who resist them. Only religions and tyrants call for the banning and burning of books, of making outcasts of every other ethnic and/or religious group.
We have mollycoddled these people too long with softer, alternate words. Terrorism is the use of force to change political actions. Insurrection is the use of violence against the government. So, let's just call the White Nationalists, the Christian Nationalists, the GOP Nationalists what they are. Terrorists. Fascists. Anti-American. Anti-democracy. Pro_theocracy. Insurrectionists.
I'm talking about the term "tribalism." Maybe that wasn't clear? How does one combat "tribalism," as I think you were suggesting? I'd argue that something that looks a lot like tribalism -- and is sometimes even called that -- enabled plenty of immigrant groups to survive in the U.S. It's enabled many groups -- women, African Americans, gay men, lesbians, etc., etc. -- to make their voices heard when lone individuals were easily silenced. So targeting "tribalism" as a concept seems to me to be missing the point.
They are people like my friend or cousin who are completely without representation. My friend would be considered well left of center even though, for the most part, his philosophy hasnтАЩt changed at all since the early 80тАЩs. One thing that has changed for him is that Reagan has lost his Respect as he has seen the consequences of ReaganтАЩs actions.
тАЬтАжwe need to find the roads to reality and reaching the tribes.тАЭ
Yes, Fern. I believe that too. There is also the matter of defining a tribe. I see a tribe as a group of people, families, or clans who bond together and identify themselves as members of [pick any tribal name]. Socially, they can be a positive and unifying force for people to gather and find kinship. Politically, they can be negative in dividing their tribe from the rest of a nation and pursuing only selfish goals. And if religion is tossed into the mix, there are several other separating factors. For example, if a group says, тАЬGod has chosen us above all others,тАЭ then that is bound to present disunity and potential conflict with all other people. Or if a nation makes the same declaration, then that will separate that nation from all others. Consider the words on the German soldierтАЩs belt buckle in WWI and WWIIтАФ"Gott mit unsтАЭ (God is with us). The examples can go on and on, and they only serve to work as divisors and not unifiers.
In the end, I believe itтАЩs big money and big power who love to keep tribes fighting amongst themselves. It keeps the little people in constant struggle to just get by, and that keeps them too busy from focusing on the powers at top. They keep races, religions, genders, et al, at each otherтАЩs throats. The wealth disparity continues to grow, and that can only bring more problems as people are forced into poverty.
Bill, I think the main source of the extreme right-wing and the Republican Party is tribalism. It is the socio-political tribalism spread through social media and Fox, which may be overpowering Democracy. Combating tribalism doesn't rest simply with better messaging by the Democratic Party, while necessary, we need to find the roads to reality and reaching the tribes.
I prefer to call it "white supremacy." "Tribalism" sounds so antiseptic and distant, and besides, there's nothing inherently wrong with tribes: humans banding together to survive when individuals and even small groups don't have much of a chance. The extreme right and the GOP have banded together to perpetuate white supremacy in the U.S. Whether they are or aren't a tribe isn't all that important. (NB: At this point I'm not clear on what the NON-extreme right comprises, or even if such a thing exists.)
Many of us, including Jews, know that 'tribalism' is not 'antiseptic' as it can be anti what is chosen to be so. More about this subject, Susanna, often and soon.
Maybe if we substitute tribalism with nationalism we can better understand the direction we are being dragged. This brand of nationalism, promoted by both church and GOP, has nothing to do with religious freedom and national pride. This is the brand of nationalism used by corrupt politicians to turn a democratically governed republic into a dictatorship or the Christian version of ISIS.
The current effort to prevent a free and fair election is part of the overall plan to end our democracy. The propaganda machine has been chugging along steadily since about 2000 CE, with Fox Entertainment and Alex Jones being joined now by several outfits with different levels of expertise in sophistry.
The main source of GOP nationalism comes from history. Every authoritarian regime begins with a non-stop propaganda machine, calling for burning books and their authors, ostracizing everything and everybody who resist them. Only religions and tyrants call for the banning and burning of books, of making outcasts of every other ethnic and/or religious group.
We have mollycoddled these people too long with softer, alternate words. Terrorism is the use of force to change political actions. Insurrection is the use of violence against the government. So, let's just call the White Nationalists, the Christian Nationalists, the GOP Nationalists what they are. Terrorists. Fascists. Anti-American. Anti-democracy. Pro_theocracy. Insurrectionists.
I'm talking about the term "tribalism." Maybe that wasn't clear? How does one combat "tribalism," as I think you were suggesting? I'd argue that something that looks a lot like tribalism -- and is sometimes even called that -- enabled plenty of immigrant groups to survive in the U.S. It's enabled many groups -- women, African Americans, gay men, lesbians, etc., etc. -- to make their voices heard when lone individuals were easily silenced. So targeting "tribalism" as a concept seems to me to be missing the point.
Susanna, Let's continue our exchange. I am not free now, but wish us to connect in the following days. Salud!
They are people like my friend or cousin who are completely without representation. My friend would be considered well left of center even though, for the most part, his philosophy hasnтАЩt changed at all since the early 80тАЩs. One thing that has changed for him is that Reagan has lost his Respect as he has seen the consequences of ReaganтАЩs actions.
тАЬтАжwe need to find the roads to reality and reaching the tribes.тАЭ
Yes, Fern. I believe that too. There is also the matter of defining a tribe. I see a tribe as a group of people, families, or clans who bond together and identify themselves as members of [pick any tribal name]. Socially, they can be a positive and unifying force for people to gather and find kinship. Politically, they can be negative in dividing their tribe from the rest of a nation and pursuing only selfish goals. And if religion is tossed into the mix, there are several other separating factors. For example, if a group says, тАЬGod has chosen us above all others,тАЭ then that is bound to present disunity and potential conflict with all other people. Or if a nation makes the same declaration, then that will separate that nation from all others. Consider the words on the German soldierтАЩs belt buckle in WWI and WWIIтАФ"Gott mit unsтАЭ (God is with us). The examples can go on and on, and they only serve to work as divisors and not unifiers.
In the end, I believe itтАЩs big money and big power who love to keep tribes fighting amongst themselves. It keeps the little people in constant struggle to just get by, and that keeps them too busy from focusing on the powers at top. They keep races, religions, genders, et al, at each otherтАЩs throats. The wealth disparity continues to grow, and that can only bring more problems as people are forced into poverty.