TRIGGERnometry Can Democracy Survive Identity Politics? With Yascha Mounk
Jul 7, 2022
Yascha Mounk, a political scientist and author known for exploring liberal democracy's challenges, dives into the intricate relationship between identity politics and democracy. He discusses the divisive nature of multiculturalism and the influences of social media on polarization. Mounk highlights the dangers of tribalism and the need for shared experiences to foster unity. With a humorous touch, they also ponder the complexities of group identity and draw parallels to the risks of sending signals to extraterrestrial civilizations.
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Unique Western Experiment
- Western multi-ethnic societies are unique experiments in human history.
- Historically, even diverse empires had a dominant ethnic group with superior status.
Hot Dog Tribalism
- Yascha Mounk's students, despite considering themselves tolerant, exhibited in-group bias in a simple experiment.
- Students who agreed on a hot dog's sandwich status favored each other over those who disagreed.
Monolithic Groups vs. Overlapping Identities
- Monolithic groups, where individuals solely identify with one group, pose a danger to diverse societies.
- Overlapping group memberships, like church, sports, or politics, foster connections and mitigate this risk.
