Description

An astounding and inspiring look at the science behind tribalism and how we can learn to harness it to improve the world around us

What do you think of when you hear the word tribalism For many it conjures images of bigotry xenophobia and sectarian violence Others may envision their own tribe family friends and the bonds of loyalty that keep them together Tribalism is one of the most complex and ancient evolutionary forces it gave us the capacity for cooperation and competition and allowed us to navigate increasingly complex social landscapes It is so powerful that it can predict our behavior even better than race class gender or religion But in our vast modern world has this blessing become a curse

Our Tribal Future explores a central paradox of our species how altruism community kindness and genocide are all driven by the same core adaptation Evolutionary anthropologist David R Samson engages with cuttingedge science and philosophy as well as his own field research with smallscale societies and wild chimpanzees to explain the science ethics and history of tribalism in compelling and accessible terms

This bold and brilliant book reveals provocative truths about our nature Readers will discover that tribalism cannot and should not be eliminated entirelyto do so would be to destroy what makes us human But is it possible to channel the best of this instinct to enrich our lives while containing the worst of its dangers