eli5: What is tribalism? How does it work in modern societies?
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It basically boils down to behaviour that results from strong loyalty to a specific group. Essentially putting the good of your tribe ahead of others.
In a modern context, it’s often used to describe people who behave in a way that places the interests of one group ahead of all others, sometimes to the point where it raises ethical, moral or legal questions.
For example, right-wing politicians fostering white nationalism amongst their followers. It creates a societal sub-group, a tribe, that wants to put the interests of their tribe ahead of those of others or even actively work against others.
It’s normal to represent your own interest. Tribalism often goes beyond simply representing your own interests and attempts to draw lines and differences between their tribe and others. This creates a very antagonistic “us vs them” dynamic that defines their tribe.
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