Human Nature

[Alan V]

Now here's the part where I get everybody mad at me again: 

Let's say that we are in the tribe of atheist/Democrat/"trust-the-science" types. I am not convinced that this is the very bestest number one tribe, superior to all the others. All the tribes have their good points and bad points, or else nobody would stay in them. From our point of view, given our preferences, ours will of course seem best, because we have chosen a tribe that aligns with our view, and then once we're in the tribe it reinforces and informs further views in line with tribal thinking. 

The fact that our tribe seems so compatible with neoliberalism, which has serious drawbacks, makes me think we could do better.

But I think it is our duty to remain very wary of tribal thinking, and remain open to the qualities in people very unlike ourselves. I mean, it's easy to focus on Fox News, which is of course horrible. But I'm not convinced that people who believe what CNN or MSNBC are telling them are all that much smarter.

First, everything has its pluses and minuses in different proportions, or tradeoffs if you prefer.  It's inescapable.  Politics are therefore typically about assessing and setting priorities, not usually about good versus evil.  Nevertheless, I hate hatred and am intolerant to intolerance because that is what they deserve -- stiff opposition.  So democracy itself, as one example, has serious drawbacks, but that doesn't mean there is any better system available to us weak-minded humans.  Trumpism certainly isn't.

Second, the house is on fire in the U.S., which means we can dispense with the usual liberal mea culpas for the time being.

Third, neither of the above is saying you are wrong in principle.

As an American, I do the best I can with what I have access to.  But mostly I keep to myself because I don't care enough about other people to do more -- not as long as I remain a misanthropist.  I post at atheist forums because atheists are (usually) the only reasonable and straightforward people I have come to know of in a lifetime.  

If you have access to other, more reasonable people, good for you.