Monday 2 November 2015

Tribalism is great but can it damage democracy?

Seth Godin had brilliantly described one aspect of how modern society structures itself in his writings on tribes. I hesitate to describe his work as an analysis of what works, though.
We are none of us true islands, connecting ourselves by accident or intent with others in any number of tribes with shared interests, habits, bloodlines, cultures or roles. Each may belong to several or even many different tribes, in which we engage as suits us. This has been made incrementally easier since the mass access to the Internet arrived. Now, we can subscribe to any number of groups even without ever meeting our peers, just by use of our mouse. And herein lies the problem. For just as joining can be ready, so can creating a would-be tribe.
In politics, there used to be, in this country, two major and one or two minor parties to attract us. Now, even within the broad label of a major party like Labour, one can join tribes of the left, the right, the centre, all of which fight verbally at least every bit as viciously as they do with the older, bigger enemy: the Other Party. Criticism too having entered the cloudosphere, all this verbal war is carried out in full view of who is saying what about whom, to the delight of the enemy.
Belonging is great. But taking vociferous sides in public conflicts between tribes within a greater Tribe could mean defeat of all at the hands of those we should be fighting. So, Jeremy, be careful that Momentum does not put all your momentum into a narrow box which can be attacked by other Labour boxes, become a mere sectional tribe, instead of changing the big tent for the better.

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