Darcia, I love the points you have made here, especially the idea that an innate, evolutionarily-produced tribalism is "merely" a justification for the tribalism that we see around us now - the alternate view being that the sequelae of trauma across generations,
plus our increasing distance from the contexts and ways that have nurtured our species along to this point have distorted our ways of understanding self and others. I think your data are clear and compelling.
At about the same time your email came through, I saw this online piece by Franz de Waal, written a couple years ago, that provides some additional context I thought folks might like (I certainly did): https://evolution-institute.org/article/no-room-for-a-gentle-ape/?source=tvol
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evolution-institute.org
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Peace, Ken C.
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Sent: Tuesday, January 2, 2018 1:54 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Interesting David Brooks Article
Hi, All,
I have strong reactions to Brooks' column in another direction. What Haidt and Brooks miss, like most scholars unaware of our (accurate) evolutionary history, is that tribalism is a pre-human level of being that is more properly characteristic
of other animals. Habits of tribalism emerges when undercare and coercion are experienced in childhood (when brain/body systems are completing themselves and designing their parameters based on experience), which are routine in hierarchical societies focused
on guarding possessions. Among those who live like our 99% all over the world (nomadic foragers), the evolved nest is provided, shaping human nature properly toward cooperation and openness (see
https://www3.nd.edu/~dnarvaez/EDST.htm). There, most groups consist of non-kin and interdependence across groups is the norm, not an us-against-them tribalism (http://www.sciencemag.org/content/331/6022/1286.full.html).
Critical to good development among social mammals is the shaping of the social engagement system, part of the vagus nerve and polyvagal system (Stephen Porges:
http://stephenporges.com/). Without appropriate care in early life, this system is underdeveloped and the individual relies on more primitive, innate survival systems when threat is perceived (and relationships generally will appear threatening). We think
tribalism is normal human nature now because we have for so long undercared for and traumatized young children in civilized nations.
The tribalism argument, like selfish gene theory, is a justification for what we see among humans today, but not representative of what helped our ancestors survive and thrive across generations---interdependent cooperation.
Darcia
############################I guess the issue is whether the point regarding oppression is being minimized by Brooks or if it is being exaggerated by others.
I certainly find myself in contexts in the university academy where I feel folks are over-emphasizing white male oppression.
And it is too easy for someone to hear me voice that and then state that I must be saying that because I am a privileged white male and am blinded by self-serving motives (an accusation that has been leveled against me).
G
Sent from Mail for Windows 10
From: nysa71
Sent: Tuesday, January 2, 2018 1:36 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Interesting David Brooks Article
############################Gregg,
I'm all for heterodoxy. It's very much needed. And nothing wrong with different political viewpoints. But I was criticizing Brooke's minimization of oppression, and his whole strawman that identifying oppression necessarily means that one's "goodness is secure", that one has "virtue without obligation", and that "nothing is one's fault". (Just because someone is "oppressed" doesn't mean they can't be a bad, non-virtuous person who has a lot of things happen to them that is their fault.)
I found it to be a very self-serving article by a neoliberal, white male-privileged media elitist who down-played neo-liberalism, white male privilege, and media elitism and the contributions these things make to the very systemic and institutional oppression that he's minimizing.
Indeed, it's ironic that he was engaging in a "tribalism" of his own by so easily criticizing the "oppressed herd" without considering the possibility that he himself could be part of the "oppressor herd".
~ Jason
On Tuesday, January 2, 2018, 12:44:02 PM EST, Henriques, Gregg - henriqgx <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
Jason,
You don’t see any validity to his point?
I find myself resonating with it. I am a member of the Heterodox Academy (https://heterodoxacademy.org/
), which is concerned with the lack of political viewpoint diversity in the academy. G
Sent from Mail for Windows 10
From: nysa71
Sent: Tuesday, January 2, 2018 11:51 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Interesting David Brooks Article
############################"The easiest way to do that is to tell a tribal oppressor/oppressed story and build your own innocence on your status as victim. Just about everybody can find a personal victim story. Once you’ve identified your herd’s oppressor — the neoliberal order, the media elite, white males, whatever — your goodness is secure. You have virtue without obligation. Nothing is your fault."
Well, we do in fact live in a world of oppression, though it's more "top vs down" than "left vs. right". How convenient, though, that that would be minimized by a white male media elitist and neoliberal apologist. I guess that way, he can have virtue without obligation and nothing is the fault of his herd.
~ Jason BesseyOn Tuesday, January 2, 2018, 10:47:17 AM EST, Henriques, Gregg - henriqgx <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
############################I found this to be a thoughtful article by David Brooks. I find my own life mission oriented toward contributing to conversation and visions having to do with (re)constructing a broader, deeper, wiser global worldview.
Best,
Gregg
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--
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Darcia Narvaez (DAR-sha narv-EYES)
Professor of Psychology, 118 Haggar Hall, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame IN 46556 USA[log in to unmask], 574-631-7835
My University Website
Also see DarciaNarvaez.com
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Ancestral Landscapes in Human Evolution (OUP)
Young Child Flourishing: Evolution, Family & Society (OUP)
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