Fight Tribalism

#FightTribalism

ORANS IS COMMITTED TO FIGHTING TRIBALISM THAT DIVIDES AND DESTROYS

Click on any of these statements of fundamental commitment to see what they’re about and not about.

Committed to Fighting Tribalism

Tribalism refers to an attitude and ethic adopted and enforced by a group. The group demands strict loyalty and does not tolerate ideas or opinions in opposition to those of the group’s leaders or the group’s adopted creed of beliefs. A tribalist group often exists as a group unified by opposition to some other group, although many tribalist groups are unified only by loyalty to the group or a particular group leader. A tribalist group creates, in the minds of its members, a division in society between in-group people and out-group others. The out-group often is defined by a label that demonizes and/or demeans them.

Tribalist groups often grow through “Triangling” — a coalition building strategy that involves complaining about a perceived problem or past injustice, blaming it on some other person or group, and then asking others to align with the complainer against the person or group blamed for the problem. In its most extreme form, tribalism is fascism. For example: Nazis complained about the treatment of Germany after World War I; they blamed Jews among others; they demanded strict loyalty and did not tolerate dissent or even dialogue on issues; they used violence to enforce loyalty, gain power, and persecute the demonized out-group. They destroyed much of Europe.

We should all fight tribalism because it leads to a number of destructive outcomes. Tribalism escalates conflict and divides societies between opposing coalitions — each demanding loyalty, demonizing and often persecuting others not members of the group, and focusing group energy on gaining power and on resisting and defeating the opposing groups. Tribalism causes societies to become stuck in conflict and unable to address problems with solutions-oriented and forward-looking dialogue on issues. Tribalism that escalates dangerously leads to war, both civil and international, and a tremendous suffering and loss of life.

In America and elsewhere, for the sake of our society, our children, and our common goals of progress and prosperity, we all need to #FightTribalism.

Committed to Quality Dialogue on Divisive Issues

Quality dialogue is critical to solving difficult problems. It demands that those involved remain engaged, centered, grounded and clear. Quality dialogue seeks truth without needlessly escalating conflict. It demands that those involved be dedicated to problem solving, reconciliation, and progress — and not to self-promotion or a single-minded pursuit of “winning.”

When necessary to avoid inflaming group passions and to allow for creativity in exploring solutions, it demands that leaders be willing to work directly, quietly, privately, and in-person with out-group leaders. Quality dialogue is fundamentally relational and not transactional.

Committed to Active Nonviolence

Active Nonviolence is an approach to conflict that rejects any use of violence to achieve goals except in the most rare situations of true self-defense. It is the approach of Mahatma Gandhi and Rev. Martin Luther King. It recognizes that violence only leads to more violence in retaliation. It rejects the idea that revenge is an acceptable response to an injury.

Active nonviolence truly involves turning the other cheek, courageously enduring insults and injuries — but it does not mean being a doormat, getting passively trampled by bullies. It responds actively to bullying with generosity, humility, and kindness. Active nonviolence does not demand surrender or weakness; rather it draws on nonviolent forms of power to influence change without coercion. It does not resort to deception or manipulation of opinion through inflammatory propaganda, but always seeks quality solutions-oriented dialogue with adversaries.

Active nonviolence is better because it produces lasting positive change. In fact, lasting change can only be achieved through active nonviolence. Change created through force and violence can produce a short-term result that may be positive, but in the long term the progress erodes and conflict returns and escalates because violence creates injury that inflames retaliation, simmering resentment, and a desire for revenge.

Committed to Collaboration to Create Solutions

Collaboration is very difficult — particularly with others that you disagree with strongly. Collaboration cannot take place in a society divided by tribalism. Where the focus is on blaming and opposing a demonized out-group, it is nearly impossible for anyone to discuss problems without descending into name-calling and attacks. In these situations, groups lose sight of the problems needing to be addressed and, accordingly, can’t even begin to discuss solutions.

To break the deadlock, to get things unstuck, group leaders must emerge who are willing to collaborate to create solutions. Solutions-oriented collaboration does not involve one side winning the other over — though that is possible. More often it involves leaders making a continuing commitment to work together, to quality dialogue, and to a dogged pursuit of solutions. It does not involve looking for people to blame, but it does involve looking for conditions that cause problems and how to change those conditions or prevent them from occurring. Solutions-oriented collaboration demands a relational approach.

Committed to Going Forward with Reconciliation and Solutions

Going forward with reconciliation means that the focus of work between opposing groups is on making the present and the future better instead of obsessing about past injustices and injuries. While it is important to examine the past in pursuit of facts and in recognition of injuries, tribalism only grows when groups get stuck in conflict over their differing truths with regard to past events.

Groups that adopt the idea that they can never reconcile with the out-group unless the out-group meets fixed demands for specific forms of remedy as justice for past injury will remain stuck in conflict indefinitely. An approach that seeks reconciliation can break tribalist conflict. Reconciliation means finding a way forward together — recognizing the past, but focusing on maximizing well-being for everyone going forward. Reconciliation may involve apologies and forgiveness, but it doesn’t have to. It may just involve an acceptance that the past cannot be changed, but that together, people can create a new present and future that is better and where tribalist conflict recedes or maybe even disappears.

ORANS is an all-volunteer organization started in 2015 to promote relational leadership. It is not a charity and only exists to promote ideas. We want to help find solutions to difficult problems, improve dialogue and create lasting positive change.