Why No One Wins from Today’s Tribal Political Battles
Feb 19, 2024
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This episode explores the coarsening of American politics and the tribalism at the root of political conflicts. They discuss the Israel-Hamas war, immigration, and abortion as hot political controversies. Ayn Rand's philosophical analysis of tribalism informs ARI's approach to political analysis. They also emphasize the detrimental effects of tribalism in politics and how it affects people's positions on political issues. The concept of tribalism in today's society is explored, along with suggestions for further reading on tribalism and engaging with the podcast.
Tribalism in politics is fueling toxic partisanship and preventing civil disagreement on key issues.
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict and immigration debate exemplify how tribalism hampers substantive policy discussions.
Tribalism has infiltrated the abortion debate, overshadowing principled discourse and resulting in inconsistent positions.
Deep dives
The Rise of Toxicity in the Political Atmosphere
In today's political landscape, it is perplexing that despite the convergence of political ideas on many fundamental issues, such as a mixed economy and welfare state, the political atmosphere is increasingly toxic. This toxic environment is characterized by heightened partisanship and demonization of the other side. The public sphere has become infiltrated with politics, with political controversies surfacing even in traditionally non-political areas. Substantive policy debates have been replaced with mere nose counting and personal character attacks. This toxicity has led to a rise in resorting to violence as a means to resolve political differences. Overall, tribalism and an obsession with group affiliations rather than principles have contributed to the toxic state of politics today.
The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict as a Case Study in Tribalism
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict demonstrates the extent of tribalism in today's politics, particularly on the left side of the political spectrum. Left-wing protesters supporting Palestine have engaged in mass protests, highlighting the tribalistic approach. However, their arguments often reveal double standards and a lack of principled concern for injustice. This selective focus on certain conflicts while ignoring others suggests a more emotional and tribalistic mindset rather than a principled stance on the issue.
Tribalism in the Border Crisis Debate
The debate surrounding the border crisis also displays elements of tribalism. There is intense tribalistic rhetoric and an emphasis on emotional appeals rather than principled arguments. Concerns about immigration and border security often lack consistent principles and are driven more by opposition to an enemy and a desire to target political opponents. This tribalistic approach hampers substantive discussion and prevents effective solutions to the border crisis.
Tribalism and the Abortion Debate
Even in the highly philosophical debate on abortion, tribalism has made its presence felt. The issue has been infiltrated by tribalistic elements, with both sides often lacking principled concerns. Anti-abortion activists may be motivated by religion, yet their actions and positions often reveal a lack of consistency and concern for individual rights in other areas. Similarly, some pro-choice advocates prioritize emotional appeals and opposition to a perceived enemy more than principled arguments. Tribalism has muddied the waters of this philosophical controversy, relegating principled discussions to the background.
The Root of Tribalism: Fear and a Loss of Confidence in Our Capacity to Make Sense of the World
The rise of tribalism in today's society can be attributed to fear and a loss of confidence in our individual capacities to make sense of the world. Factors such as the undermining of reason, the perception of imminent dangers, and the bombardment of provocative narratives contribute to this fear-based tribalistic mindset. In the midst of fear and uncertainty, joining a group provides a sense of security, but it also reinforces a reliance on emotions and group affiliations rather than principled thinking. Tribalism, ultimately, is a result of a mindset that questions our ability to navigate the world independently.
In this episode of New Ideal Live, Ben Bayer and Nikos Sotirakopoulos discuss the problem of tribalism in our political culture. Exploring issues such as the Israel-Hamas war and the debates over immigration and abortion, they show how both the left and right are guilty of an anti-conceptual mentality that has degraded our political discourse.
Among the topics covered:
How tribalism has made today's political atmosphere toxic;
The left's tribal support for Palestine;
How the tribal mentality is motivated by opposition to a common enemy, not shared principles;
The right's tribal fearmongering on immigration;
How tribalism has infiltrated the issue of abortion on both sides;
How attacks on reason fuel today's groupthink;
What ARI does to take a principled philosophical stance on political issues.
Recommended in this podcast are Ayn Rand’s essays “Global Balkanization” and “The Missing Link,” Bayer’s talk “Tribalism in Today’s Political Culture,” and Sotirakopoulos’ book Identity Politics and Tribalism: The New Culture Wars.
The podcast was recorded on February 14, 2024. Listen to the discussion below. Listen and subscribe from your mobile device on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify or Stitcher. Watch archived podcasts here.
https://youtu.be/WK6FBGNk4Ck
Podcast audio:
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