It'd help if those who bemoan America's tribalization would
propose remedies. Here are two readings in a row that start to do so, albeit
barely and with a narrow focus on interpersonal relations, not society's
structures and processes as a whole.
Up first is Jonathan Haidt & Ravi Iyer's “How to Get
Beyond Our Tribal Politics” (2016), published just before the election.
In it they fret that, because of "cross-partisan
animosity" and other facets of tribalism, "Nearly half the country
will therefore wake up deeply disappointed on the morning of Nov. 9, and many
members of the losing side will think that America is doomed. Those on the
winning side will feel relieved, but many will be shocked and disgusted that
nearly half of their fellow citizens voted for the moral equivalent of the
devil."
The authors then offer practical steps, based on three
classic maxims they quote, "to turn it down, free ourselves from hatred
and make the next four years better for ourselves and the country."
The first maxim is drawn from an ancient Bedouin saying: “Me
against my brother, my brothers and me against my cousins, then my cousins and
me against strangers.” Haidt & Iyer choose this saying because it reflects
that "Human nature is tribal", and because "The tribal mind is
adept at changing alliances to face shifting threats". It makes sense to
apply this maxim to today's hardened hate-filled America because
"Something is broken in American tribalism. It is now “my brothers and me
against my cousins” all the time, even when we are threatened by strangers and
even when there is no threat at all."
Thus, the authors coax, "Democracy requires trust and
cooperation as well as competition. A healthy democracy features flexible and
shifting coalitions. We must find a way to see citizens on the other side as
cousins who are sometimes opponents but who share most of our values and
interests and are never our mortal enemies."
Their second maxim comes from the Bible, Matthew 7:3-5,
quoting Jesus: "Why do you see the speck in your neighbor’s eye, but do
not notice the log in your own eye?... You hypocrite, first take the log out of
your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your
neighbor’s eye.”
Accordingly, the authors observe that "Our tribal minds
are equipped with a powerful tool: shameless and clueless hypocrisy." The
result today is an excess of what psychologists call “motivated reasoning.”
Which helps explain "why partisans find it so easy to dismiss scandalous
revelations about their own candidate while focusing so intently on scandalous
revelations about the other candidate."
The new information technologies make matters worse, for
"Motivated reasoning has interacted with tribalism and new media
technologies since the 1990s in unfortunate ways."
Their third maxim is from Cicero's “On Friendship”, written
in ancient Roman times: "Nature has so formed us that a certain tie unites
us all, but … this tie becomes stronger from proximity.”
What makes proximity so important, say Haidt & Iyer, is
that "Humans are tribal, but tribalism can be transcended. It exists in
tension with our extraordinary ability to develop bonds with other human beings."
However, what's happening in today's America is that "tragically,
Americans are losing their proximity to those on the other side and are
spending more time in politically purified settings."
With these three maxims as background, Haidt & Iyer
counsel that "If you would like to let go of anger on Nov. 9 without
letting go of your moral and political principles, here is some advice, adapted
from ancient wisdom and modern research." Some of the practical points
they make are as follows:
"First, separate your feelings about Donald Trump and
Hillary Clinton from your feelings about their supporters. …
"Second, step back and think about your goals. …
"[D]o what you can to cultivate personal relationships
with those on the other side." …
"Another powerful depolarizing move is praise, as we
saw in the second Clinton-Trump debate." So say something positive to, and
about, whomever you're talking to from the other side.
In conclusion, they write, "Starting next Wednesday,
each of us must decide what kind of person we want to be and what kind of
relationship we want to have with our politically estranged cousins."
Theirs is a sensible reasonable effort to make helpful
practical suggestions about improving interpersonal relationships — though I do
not see much effect yet.
To read for yourself, go here:
https://www.wsj.com/articles/how-to-get-beyond-our-tribal-politics-1478271810
[I posted an earlier write-up of this reading on my Facebook
page, on April 6.]
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