Does the positive side of tribalism/racism outshine the negative side?

[Greatest I am]

"The ends justify the means" has only ever been tentatively true. I.e. someone lying to cover for themselves or someone else to avoid harm (the usual situational example of an abusive husband looking for their wife at a friends house and the friend lying to the husband about their whereabouts springs to mind, and the very real examples of people lying to the Gestapo covering for hidden Jews during Nazy Germany). I think this is similarly true tribalism/racism. It becomes skewed, easily, when considering the short pathway between tribalism and 'othering' people, dehumanizing them.

To your first. True.

Every situation of end justifying means is subjective.

To your last. True.

I do not mind othering and most do not mind being the othered, when the players share a --- diversity is good --- ideology.

That is a positive othering whereas I think you were thinking more of the ostracizing othering.

Almost all terms are dualistic and have good and evil sides.

Regards
DL

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Slaves weren't fed, they fed their masters and themselves.  That's not welfare...that's theft.

That was the master insuring that the hungry did not kill him for food or force him to pay for more body guards.

I think theft is better than starving.

Then again, I have a criminal mind and delinquent attitude.

Would you slave yourself, if destitute where there were no safety nets, or would you turn to crime?

Regards
DL