In the contemporary world, we tend to think of tribes as rare vestiges of earlier eras, existing mainly in places like Afghanistan or the more remote regions of the Amazon.  In actuality, though, tribalism still surrounds us no matter where we live.  We just need to know how to recognize it.

In its functional essence, a tribe can be any group with which we strongly identify.

Far from eliminating tribalism, modernism can be a potent incubator for new forms of it.  And while many forms of contemporary tribalism are harmless, certain strains of it are coming to pose a significant threat to our ability to cope with the world.

If we want to avoid being incapacitated by these toxic new forms of tribalism, we need to begin understanding what fuels them, so we can devise better ways of satisfying the human needs on which they’re based.