Rich, (01)
I agree that families, extended families, and tribes have been
fundamental to animal behavior since time immemorial. You'll
find them in ants, wolves, and chimpanzees. As they say,
"Birds of a feather flock together." (02)
When I said that political parties are ad hoc, I should have
qualified the point to say that they are less fundamental than
those more basic groups. (03)
> There is no known solution to this problem, which has been around
> since the nation began, possibly since tribes began from families. (04)
If you recognize loyalty to a group as natural, the issue is not
which political party, but which kind of group and why. (05)
If you go to countries like Afghanistan, the tribal leaders are still
in charge, and political parties are weak. In countries like the USA,
they are somewhat stronger, but note that the fastest growing party
in the US is "independent". (06)
But there are many other kinds of groups to which people have a strong
loyalty. They include schools, clubs, and sports teams. A common
language or even a common dialect can be the basis for a strong group
affiliation. Religious affiliation can be strong enough to cause
families to break apart. (07)
A common profession -- science, engineering, music, farming, or even
employment at the same company -- can create strong loyalties and
common ways of thinking. (08)
When people belong to multiple groups, serious crises can occur when
two groups to which they have strong loyalties come into conflict. (09)
And when people become estranged from a group to which they had
strong loyalties, they can undergo a serious crisis -- even suicide
or violence inflicted on people who caused them to be ostracized.
Note the school violence by students who feel left out -- or "bullied." (010)
John (011)
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