On: Tribe.
Episode: N/A
Date: December 2018
Background: Journalist, author of “Tribe“.
Key Subjects:
- Humans need to be needed:
- Autonomy / control.
- Respect.
- Good relations with their community.
- Self-interest versus social animal:
- The worse the circumstances, the more your survival depends on the group – becomes adaptive to be pro-social.
- No crisis: revert back to competition and pursuing own interests – becomes adaptive to be focused on self-interest.
- Both behaviors contribute to well-being.
- Hunter-gatherer = ongoing low-level crisis (toggle back and forth between group and own interests).
- Modern society = mostly no crisis, mostly self-interest.
- Group norms change to reflect this (rewarding and punishing the appropriate group behavior – pursuing your own or the group’s interests).
- Things are more meaningful in crisis / combat:
- Shared goals.
- [Coherence of actions and goals – not discussed, constant feedback, ie you are surviving].
- Disappears when crisis is over.
- Tribalism:
- Part of human nature.
- Missing: crisis driven group mentality, smaller more cohesive groups.
- Searching for it elsewhere (politics, sports).
Key Takeaways:
- See Book Summary.
Worth Listening:
7/10