Is Tribalism The New Democracy?

What mental images do you conjure up when you read the word tribal?

Does it invoke pictures of Native Americans made famous by Hollywood? Maybe you see visions of ancient clans wandering the savannahs of antiquity looking for food and shelter.

Perhaps you picture yourself as one of your ancestors and you’re sitting on the ground beside a roaring fire while an animal hunted and slaughtered by you and your fellow tribesman cooks over the blaze; and as you wait to devour your share you gaze hypnotically at your kinfolk as they whirl and dance to the beat of drums in front of you.

Many books have been written trying to solve the riddle of what exactly it was like living in those primordial times; for me though I think most likely Gronk and his family, his buddies and their kin found there was safety in numbers, which also translated into a better chance to put food on the table….err….I guess it would have been on the ground or a rock, a sea shell, a stick, their lap….

Fact is you don’t have to look back in history or rent old movies to see tribalism at work; all you have to do is check out the people who vote for and or are members of the political establishment; maybe just go have a look at yourself in the mirror in the bathroom.

This requires an objective view point, which unfortunately not many people are capable of employing when it comes to politics; but if you’re adept at seeing things in a clear light you should see that tribalism does in fact infect the democratic process.

The recent Presidential election would definitely be a case in point; people showed their zealousness in no uncertain terms; their candidate and party were the only people to lead the country and further more they weren’t willing to listen to others thoughts on any subject that may have been relevant to the issues facing Americans.

The extreme tribalism we’re witnessing in our political theaters has and is changing democracy. It’s like voting with somebody watching you mark the ballot; you’re expected to swear allegiance to a tribe…. sorry, party with its dogma and chosen leader or you’ll be expelled to wander alone in the wilderness; or be banished to join the other laughably inadequate tribe….sorry party.

Can this mockery of “social equality” (democracy) be fixed? Time has a way of mending everything; but probably when the electorate finally becomes aware of just how far down the evolutionary scale politicians see them, that’s when real change will take place.

With any luck the next political rally you’re attending or observing on the tube should find you seeing the actions of the participants in a different light. It could be the same light from the big smoldering fire you’ve been gazing into before you’re suddenly snapped back to reality by the roar of the tribe….sorry I meant party; or conversely the light will be the kind that’s bright enough to guide you to but not blind you to the truth.  

Oh and by the way: my point is notwithstanding the awareness that the media loves extreme tribalism; the greater the distance between your candidate and the opposing party’s candidate the higher the ratings.

Money in the bank for TV networks!

Money down the drain for the people!

Democratic cultural suicide!