Transcending Toxic Tribalism
A New Whole Word
Evolution is a strange thing. It’s not always linear and it doesn’t always make improvements. Phrases like “the next evolution” make for great marketing, but not always a great life. If tribalism is an evolutionary function, and I suggest that it is, then what will it take to continue evolving or is this humanity’s final stop?
The Levels of Existence Theory honed by Clare Graves provides a medium by which we can explore this topic. Graves builds upon the more well-known Hierarchy of Needs popularized by Maslow while offering a more systematic and robust insight into the human experience. Both theories argue that there is a specific progression, a particular path of development, all humans follow and, until and unless the earlier levels are actualized, later level characteristics will not present in a genuine fashion.
Maslow presents this idea like a pyramid, one level building upon another, while Graves offers a spiral model in which one travels along each level in a cyclical fashion. A basic understanding of Maslow’s hierarchy makes Graves’s levels more intuitive, however, for this discussion, it is not required.
Graves’ theory begins with the instinctive self. From the moment a human gains consciousness, it seeks basic survival through food, water, rest, and the like. This foundational habit is the beginning of the spiral and the unifying thread throughout it. In the Christian religious tradition, it is taught that man is born with original sin and is innately opposed to God until a second birth in which he is endowed with a new spirit, a holy spirit, that changes his nature. This religious experience of an individual being born again can be likened to the psychological development that occurs as an individual or a collective journey through the spiral. It is out of the transcending of the survival mechanism that tribalism is born.
Tribalism itself is a neutral orientation. As an evolutionary function, it promotes a greater likelihood of survival and reproduction. As a political function, it makes short work of identifying where one belongs. As a social function, it provides a sense of safety, belonging, and certainty. In fact, without tribalism, humankind would cease to evolve.
Tribalism is simply the state of being organized in a tribe. A tribe is a grouping of individuals with some common ties such as religion or relation who typically live together in community under an agreed-upon leader. Tribes can be found in every nation, in every class of person, and throughout nearly all of recorded history. Like food and water, a tribe if a foundational component of survival.
With that in mind, consider for a moment whether or not tribalism can be transcended.
As tribes form and diversify, the survival instinct initiates another evolutionary step: power dynamics. The expressions, “it’s a jungle out there,” and, “only the strong survive” are fitting in this next realm. The ego’s function is essential to ensure survival, but with basic needs assured due to the growth and stability of the tribe, survival is no longer limited to food and water. It now includes psychological safety and introduces an adversarial inclination that is rooted in the undeveloped emotional self, rather than the physiological self.
This toddler-esque need to dominate arises and drives tribalism from it’s once neutral posture to a state of toxicity in which violence emerges as normative. While tribes make survival and growth easier, that same growth creates a perception of scarcity which is magnified by a lack of experience which would otherwise provide assurance that there’s more out there.
Ironically, interaction with other tribes plants the seeds of individualism which are requisite for the exploitative ruler to take charge. The tribe simultaneously bonds together as a mechanism of protection and re-fragments as an evolutionary adaptation. The foundational instinct to preserve individual survival is now couched firmly in the survival of the tribe. Of course, the survival of the tribe is dependent upon the strength of the ruler and so humanity now finds itself in another stage of development where toxic tribalism is now nearly as foundational as survival itself.
Blind loyalty and unquestioning allegiance now seem to overrule any sense of logic that guided previous adaptations. The voice of the leader is able to cause the followers to support things which are demonstrably harmful as long as it reinforces the strength of the tribe. What began as a leaning towards mutually beneficial competition has become a maladaptation of mutually destructive competition.
In the Biblical story of Adam and Eve, Eve is tricked by a serpent and causes Adam to commit the original sin. From that day forward, God commands, the woman is no longer the coequal, complementary component of humanity, rather, she is now the object of male domination. Traditionally, the sin of this story is the eating of the forbidden fruit, however, it is possible to take note of a far more egregious transgression: the introduction of a hierarchical, patriarchal system in which domination was seen as Godly and humility as devilry.
Consider the punishment of the serpent. Instead of engaging in restorative justice, the serpent’s legs were destroyed and it was forced to travel, humbly, on its belly “eating dust.” The serpent’s accomplice, Eve, was now subject to Adam and the once co-equal partners were now set at odds. Essentially, the masculine virtues of dominance, violence, and rulership where elevated in an instant. The man’s power to take life was now esteemed above the woman’s power to give it and the fruit of toxic tribalism was born.
The difference between neutral or even positive tribalism and toxic tribalism lies in which leader the tribe follows. The leader is not just the physical king on the throne, but it is the ideals and ideas that placed him there, as well. When the spirit in the king esteems feminine virtues such as creativity, compassion, and collaboration the whole of humanity benefits; the power to give life is treasured and cultivated, and the tribe welcomes expansion. It is the feminine nature that guides multiplication. It is the mother that unselfishly devotes herself to the care of others, even others she did not produce.
The feminine spirit is not intimidated or threatened by a loss of identity. When faced with an “other,” she invites it in and provides nourishment. When danger arises, she first seeks shelter but will defend all of those in her care relentlessly if necessary. Even in defense, the nature of the feminine is to preserve though the masculine eye may interpret her actions as aggression.
This is not to suggest that the feminine should dominate the masculine, or that only women should be king. That reversal of domination is an unhealthy expression of the masculine spirit. What is needed to preserve the original evolutionary benefit of tribalism is partnership.
The beauty of the masculine spirit’s drive to dominate is that obstacles and hindrances to creation are overcome. The will to rule serves to ensure life is preserved when it stems from a healthy source. The spirit which has transcended the levels of absolute authority and cannibalistic consumerism embraces sharing as victory and meaningful purpose as achievement.
When the masculine and feminine rejoin in co-equal partnership, as interlocking forces, then toxic tribalism can be transcended. In the next phase of evolution, the correction of the maladaptation of tribalism is wholeness.
The continual cycle of division and reunion is how humanity has always and will always evolve and is an essential characteristic of survival. In every extreme, humanity responds to its instinctive drive to survive by employing chaordic love.
In modern times, significant disaster is always met with global unification, and, usually, a song. “We Are The World,” “Stand Up For Love,” and “Do They Know It’s Christmas” are a few of the most popular, but there are countless others. In fact, over 40 songs were released in an effort to provide aid after the hurricane Katrina disaster. The movie Independence Day brilliantly illustrates how disaster unites once opposing tribes.
In a pivotal scene, right before the military forces of the planet launch a strike against the alien invaders, the US President rallies the troops with a powerful speech. He says,
In less than an hour, aircraft from here will join others from around the world. And you will be launching the largest aerial battle in the history of mankind. Mankind — that word should have new meaning for all of us today. We can’t be consumed by our petty differences anymore. We will be united in our common interests.
Perhaps its fate that today is the 4th of July, and you will once again be fighting for our freedom, not from tyranny, oppression, or persecution — but from annihilation. We’re fighting for our right to live, to exist. And should we win the day, the 4th of July will no longer be known as an American holiday, but as the day when the world declared in one voice: “We will not go quietly into the night! We will not vanish without a fight! We’re going to live on! We’re going to survive!” Today, we celebrate our Independence Day!
This short speech encapsulates the full essence of how toxic tribalism is ultimately overcome — and how it birthed: survival. The current state of affairs in the US, and also around the globe, is two types of tribes are vying to survive. The tribe of individualism couched in nationalism mixed with immature, supremacist ego is desperately attempting to retain dominance while the tribe of higher consciousness, integrative collaborators burgeon.
The higher vantage point reveals the foundation of survival has remained unchanged. Our instinct is and always will be individual survival. Transcendence is not abandonment, it’s expansion. Recognition that our individual survival is rooted in embracing a partnership orientation comes with maturity.
It is not a matter of left versus right, male versus female, or secular versus sacred; it is a matter of complementarity or competition. In order to transcend toxic tribalism, we must embrace a new, whole world.
