The recent Charlottesville rally/riot shines a spotlight on nothing new. This is not to diminish in any way the deep tragedy it represents. Moreover, seen in the context of a nuclear tweeting Trump this event gives a new urgency for deeper discussion about the growth of tribalism in western nations - W.E.I.R.D. nations. WEIRD nations are the Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, Democracies (although possibly the depth of the education and the robustness of the democracy is somewhat open to debate). I'm no expert on tribalism; I'm sure there are many who are more qualified to unpack the issues. However, one aspect is clearly apparent: when a threat appears, and as fears grow, so people retreat to the safety of their tribe. Tribal behavior makes people defensive of personal preference, fosters prejudice, cultivates mob mentality, encourages group think, and suppresses debate while repressively acting against any dissenting voices. Such tribalism is rooted in fear. I grew up under apartheid and am acutely conscious of this human character (even under post-apartheid society this ever-potential tribalism continues to haunt the culture of South Africa). Professed liberalism flourishes in cultures of comfort but quickly vaporizes when the comfort zone is eroded. It takes a special foundation of morals, and a courage of compassion, to sustain a position of ethical equity while under personal pressure. It is perhaps no wonder that "real Christians" are so often at the forefront of protecting individual rights - and I'm not referring here to cultural-Christians who seem to comprise the bulk of WEIRD nation "evangelicals". (If you can get your hands on a copy, read "The Passing Summer - A South African's Response To White Fear, Black Anger, And The Politics Of Love " by Michael Cassidy). There is one redeeming fact about secular liberalism; is encourages self-critique and tolerance of diverging ideas (but it falls at the hurdle of absolutism). Christians who live out their faith (as opposed to "Christians" protecting their culture) are rooted in a compassion for others, and unlike any other religion also encourage self-examination and critique. The only real difference between a secular liberal and a faith-alive Christian is that the former holds to relativistic morals while the latter roots morals in the absolute values of love and justice in a relationship with God (one cannot divorce love from justice, they are the two sides of the same coin - this is another way secular liberals often fail in moral logic). If tribalism is an inherent trait of human nature, and if escaping it requires a courage of moral strength, then that route is through dealing with fear. From the mass movements of Nationalism down to the bilges of the alt-right and individual racism, it is fear that corrodes any residual compassion and leaves behind a bitter protectionism. Fear is a response to insecurity, and for the secularist insecurity reduces to being about the erosion of their material context. The challenge remains: am I living in submission to a fear that causes me to retreat into protectionism, or do I have foundations that compel a voice of compassion despite personal circumstances, and lead me to invest in the two-sided coin of love and justice? A personal silence on the "Charlottesvilles" of this age is a tacit consent for all such actions. If you're a church-goer, I wonder if your service this Sunday made reference to any of the recent "Charlottesvilles" that occurred around the world? We're losing our ability to debate tough issues. Mark Lilla notes in his book “The Once and Future Liberal” that “... classroom conversations that once might have begun, I think A, and here is my argument, now take the form, Speaking as an X, I am offended that you claim B. This makes perfect sense if you believe that identity determines everything [tribalism]. It means that there is no impartial space for dialogue. White men have one ‘epistemology,’ black women have another. So what remains to be said?” Sadly I suspect that secular liberal relativism is overall weak and divided, and that as it seeks to counter the anger of tribal tyranny from a fear-ridden alt-right, it will fail unless the moral absolutism of a living Christianity finds its voice in society. As I was once told: "find your confidence [identity] in Christ" (not in religion). [Afterthought: the evangelical vote for an unethical Trump, the Brexit panic, and all such laager-mentality actions, are similar reflections of tribalism rooted in a fear of losing identify.]
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Why?
Probably the best therapy is to express yourself. Why do you think psychiatrists make you lie on the couch and talk, while all they do is murmur "hmmm", "uhuh", or "go on"? Archives
May 2017
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