Searching For Independence; Finding Tribalism
March to the beat of your own drum, they say. Be independent. Don’t be a sheep. People fling cowpies at anyone who disagrees with them. Those beliefs and that group make you a “sheeple.” However their beliefs make them a free-thinking renegade always with a hot take that will upset the masses, until their hot takes come with herds of cheering supporters drowning out all dissension.
“Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind.”
― Bernard M. Baruch
They built their tribe from their cheering supporters. As unique as we all are, there still is a drive to find a community that reflects us. This is, surprisingly, not a bad thing. Belonging is one of the things that most species fight to protect and preserve.
People often talk about finding your tribe. Discover people who have your flavor of weird. Fandoms, social media groups, cultural collectives. We want to be among people that are so similar that it is like looking into a mirror.
Tribalism and belonging to a tribe are two different things. Belonging to a tribe means a community that understands and values us as we are, while tribalism means that anyone outside of the group is a potential threat and feeds an “us” versus “them” mentality so intense that to step outside of the tenets of the tribe is met with ostracization, abuse, or violence, to ensure that we never develop any new ideas. Tribalism is to belong to a cult. The tribe should never trump our unique selves. Having a tribe is to have a family.
The Guild is a television show about a group of friends bonding over the love of a MMORPG
If there is a desire to look at everyone as though staring into a mirror, it becomes abundantly clear that the mirror is actually a funfare mirror and is slightly distorted. Not quite right, never will be, and should never be. Our individuality allows us to be creative, to innovate, and to be surprised by other people’s lives. The drive to belong can dampen an individual’s light. Once we give up our independence in service to a tribe, we’ve done the world a great disservice. What you provide to the world cannot be given by anyone else but you–unless you shed yourself for your tribe.
“Remember to always be yourself. Unless you suck.”
― Joss Whedon
