In theory, there’s nothing wrong with prostitution. Just someone hiring out to perform a service, like a carpenter, masseuse, or doctor. But in our society the practice has developed into a horrible, abusive situation. Likewise, there’s nothing wrong with polygamy, except for the opportunities it provides for a certain type of power junkie to practise his evil manipulation. I suppose there’s little wrong with religion mixing with politics…until you realize the evil purposes some people will put it to. There are all sorts of ideas that sound good in theory, but when we try to put them into practice, human nature creates a train wreck.
What’s Wrong With Us?
We think we are logical, rational beings who make choices based on information we receive. Unfortunately, there is a quirk of human nature that causes us to act irrationally, simply because of the fact that we have joined a tribe. Any kind of tribe. Like a political party, for example. Then our critical thinking skills go out the window, and tribal emotional reactions take over
Tribalism vs Critical Thinking
It all has to do with the human desire to fit in. Safety in numbers. Member of the tribe. When we join a group, any group, our minds do something strange. Something called the Free Choice Paradigm takes over. Even if we might have been hesitant about joining the group in the first place, once we make the decision it immediately becomes the right decision, and we start finding all sorts of good reasons why we were right to make it.
Let’s say we are buying a new pickup truck and we have it narrowed down to a Ford or a Toyota. They both look about equal, their strengths and weaknesses about the same. But what happens once we’ve decided on the Ford? Well, suddenly the Ford becomes wonderful, and we’re oh, so glad we bought one. From now on, Confirmation Bias makes us look for information that makes Fords sound good and ignore anything that speaks against them. We have chosen to join the Ford Tribe, and that now becomes a good choice, simply because we chose it.
In Politics, It’s Worse Than That.
Once we join an actual group of real people, our brains start looking for ways to help us fit in. For example, should we discover that some of the group’s ideas or policies do not match with our own, do we try to change the group? No, we immediately start finding good reasons for changing our minds.
Membership in a strong tribe fulfills our need for security and reduces our anxiety about the uncertainties of our lives. But if there is too much anxiety in our lives, then that membership becomes too important, until it forms a part of our personal self-image.
For Example
If you ask a Canadian who he is, he’s likely to identify with his occupation. “I’m Gordon, and I’m a political journalist.” It’s a confident attitude. The first thing I want you to know about me is one of my personal accomplishments. If you ask an American the same question, he’ll likely say, “I’m Joe, and I’m a Democrat.” A primary element in his view of himself is his political alliance. This is a less confident view of life. The first thing this person wants you to know is who is backing him up in case of trouble.
No Accountability
This tribal situation is bad for democracy. We think our democracy means that our leaders are elected by us to do what we tell them to. But in a tribal political party, the moment we join we start adapting our ideas to match those of the party. So the leaders can set whatever agenda they choose, and the members will change their thinking to match the party’s platform. Change the policy of the party, and the members all follow along like good little sheep. Accountability out the window.
Now you can see why religion and politics make such an inflammatory mix. If our personal identities are caught up in our religious group, this makes us more tribal. If our personal identities are caught up in our political affiliation, that makes us more tribal. If our religious and political affiliations are identical, we are twice as irrational. If someone tells you, “I’m a Southern Baptist Republican,” well, you can be pretty sure what to expect.
The Bottom Line
Once you have joined an organization, it’s difficult to separate your ideas from those of the group. The only advice I can give is don’t get caught up in the echo chamber. Listen to other people, those who aren’t members of your closed cadre. Maintain your independence of thought. Maybe you’ll be a leader some day.