Do you strongly contend that humankind is basically tribal in its orientation, w

1. 84

   gmwilliamsposted 9 years ago

   Do you strongly contend that humankind is basically tribal in its orientation, which explains why
   
   humans are racist, ethnocentric, classist, & exhibit territorialism in one fashion or another?  Do you believe that humankind will evolve beyond the point of racism, ethnocentrism, classism, & other forms of territorialism? Why?  Why not?
   
   

   replyreport
2. 85

   M. T. Dremerposted 9 years ago

   I like to think of humans as a pack species, like dogs. We function best, and are at our strongest, when in a group. In the past, our survival was often based around quick judgments about another pack's 'different-ness' from our own. Packs can vary in size and we can be members of multiple packs. I have a family pack, then an extended family pack, then a city, state, and country pack. All of which, if attacked, I will defend.
   
   So, in that regard, things like racism will be very hard to get rid of. It's not impossible, it would just require us to survive, as a species, long enough to evolve away from those roots of suspicion. The cultures of the world would instantly unite if aliens attacked, but that wouldn't really solve the problem because then we'd just be racist against aliens.

   replyreport
3. 59

   Robert the Bruceposted 9 years ago

   Archeological evidence shows us that Homo sapiens began as exactly that---tribal. This trend has remained with us throughout history and this fact can be easily confirmed by even a basic study of civilization. Some peoples of the world are still completely tribal and some of those behaviors are evident even in western society.
   
   I think some form of tribalism will be present with us as long as our species remains. And for the record, not every tribalistic behavior is negative. Tribalism has helped us survive for these hundreds of thousands of years. In fact, I'm not sure that the human race could survive for long without the framework that tribalism maintains.

   replyreport