Not the quickest take but not quite developed enough for an actual post:

The Evolutionary Delusions Driving Political Hostility

Political discourse, with alarming frequency, devolves into acrimony, transmuting erstwhile comrades into adversaries. This phenomenon—wherein individuals adhere tenaciously to their political affiliations, be they Democratic or Republican, despite contravening evidence—cannot be sufficiently elucidated by mere policy disputes or rhetorical flourishes. Rather, its genesis lies in the primordial architecture of the human psyche. In this disquisition, we shall explore how partisan politics in the United States constitute less a theater of rational deliberation and more a tableau of evolutionary delusions, deeply rooted in our tribal heritage. We shall dissect the instinctual tenacity of tribal hostility, its distortion of our perception of rival political factions, and the insidious subtlety with which it eludes our conscious awareness.

Tribalism: An Evolutionary Imperative

Tribalism, the allegiance to one’s social cohort, is no ephemeral trend but an indelible facet of human existence. In prehistoric epochs, this fidelity was not a mere social predilection but a survival imperative. The tribe furnished sustenance, shelter, and a rampart against existential threats—be they predatory beasts or hostile interlopers. Over millennia, this imperative for group cohesion and defense became etched into our genetic constitution, an evolutionary adaptation that fortified our species’ endurance.

Yet, survival hinged not solely on intra-tribal solidarity but also on vigilance toward outsiders. Rival tribes posed tangible perils, capable of pillaging resources, usurping territory, or enacting violence. Consequently, humans cultivated an instinctual antipathy toward those beyond the tribal pale. This “us versus them” dichotomy, far from a cultural artifact, was a biological exigency—a mechanism that, though lifesaving in antiquity, proves maladapted to the complexities of modernity.

Partisan Politics: The Modern Tribal Arena

In contemporary America, the Democratic and Republican parties have metamorphosed into simulacra of ancient tribes. Citizens do not merely cast ballots; they pledge fealty, donning metaphorical tribal regalia and rallying with a zeal reminiscent of athletic partisans. Yet, this vehement schism is less substantive than it appears—not a product of meticulously reasoned policy divergences but an atavistic reflex. Our tribal instincts, operating on an antediluvian calibration, compel us to perceive the opposing faction not as intellectual contenders but as existential menaces to our group’s survival and ethos.

This dynamic elucidates why political discord often assumes a visceral, personal tenor: it engages the same neural pathways that once shielded our forebears from annihilation.

The Instinctual Nature of Tribal Hostility

Whence arises this reflexive animosity? Its origins lie in an era when rival tribes constituted genuine threats to life and livelihood. The incursion of an unfamiliar group into one’s domain demanded immediate suspicion and martial readiness. Such wariness was not merely judicious but evolutionarily advantageous, enhancing survival probabilities. Emotions such as hatred and disgust likely amplified aggressive responses, thereby bolstering the prospects of triumph in inter-tribal strife. This predisposition to conflict, hardwired into our psyche, was a survival mechanism par excellence.

In the present, though we no longer repel rival hunters, this instinct endures, redirecting its focus. When a Republican encounters a Democrat’s proposal, or vice versa, an ancient tribal alarm may resound—not as a deliberate judgment but as a visceral echo of our evolutionary past.

Cognitive Distortion: The Warping of Perception

This instinctual hostility does more than provoke ire; it fundamentally skews our apprehension of reality. A steadfast Democrat, for instance, may summarily denounce a Republican initiative as pernicious, even if it mirrors policies championed by their own cadre. The converse holds equally true. Consider a presidential oration: adherents may extol it as visionary, while detractors decry it as calamitous—despite identical content. This disparity is not mere recalcitrance but the brain’s primordial machinery safeguarding the tribal narrative.

Psychologists designate this “motivated reasoning,” wherein individuals contort empirical data to conform to their group’s prevailing dogma, often unwittingly. Our cognitive faculties, far from impartial arbiters, are conscripted into the service of tribal fidelity.

The Invisibility of Bias: A Cognitive Blind Spot

Most insidiously, this tribal sway operates covertly, evading detection by its host. We remain persuaded that our political convictions derive from rigorous logic and empirical scrutiny. “I have reasoned this thoroughly,” we assure ourselves, blind to the subterranean machinations of our instincts. This self-deception persists because conceding the merit of opposing perspectives feels akin to treason against our tribe—a notion our brains are evolutionarily primed to resist. Thus, two observers may witness the same occurrence and emerge with antithetical interpretations, each steadfast in their rationality.

Tribalism in Action: Analogies from Sport and Kinship

Consider the fervent partisanship of sports rivalries, such as that between the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox. Fans do not dispassionately assess each maneuver; they vociferously champion their side and excoriate the adversary, heedless of objective merit. Likewise, in familial spheres, one might defend a sibling’s fallacious stance out of filial loyalty. In the political domain, party affiliation assumes the mantle of kinship, impelling us to uphold its cause with unwavering devotion, even when the contest is merely ideological.

Conclusion: Transcending the Tribal Mirage

Are partisan politics “real”? Not in the conventional sense. They are less a crucible of ideological conviction than a vestige of our tribal lineage, cloaked in modern trappings. Our instinctual hostility, once a bulwark of survival, now propels us to construe political foes as existential threats, obfuscating our judgment in ways that elude introspection.

Yet, therein lies a prospect for redemption: by discerning these evolutionary delusions, we may commence their transcendence. By interrogating our visceral impulses, engaging with divergent viewpoints, and recognizing the “other” as a compatriot rather than a foe, we can forge a path toward a more enlightened political discourse.

The Path Forward: Dissolving the Tribal Enchantment

Envision a polity where such awareness proliferates: political dialogue would transmute from strident cacophony into cogent deliberation. Policies would be appraised on their intrinsic virtues, unshackled from partisan lineage. Compromise would be extolled as a virtue, not vilified as capitulation, fostering governance of greater efficacy. Pressing exigencies—climate change, healthcare, education—might witness substantive progress as bipartisan collaboration flourished, prioritizing pragmatic resolutions over tribal brinkmanship.

This metamorphosis is attainable, for at our essence, humans yearn for an unadulterated grasp of reality. Tribalism, that cunning artificer, garbs our biases as verities, but once we pierce its veil, we can unravel its dominion. We may challenge our precipitous judgments, heed voices beyond our ideological enclaves, and embrace our fallibility—not to forsake our convictions but to anchor them in truth.

To ascertain whether one is ensnared, ponder this diagnostic: recall the latest pronouncement or deed from the opposing faction. Does it instinctively cast in a pejorative light with presumed mendacity or malevolence? How frequently does this reflex govern one’s response? In a state of objectivity, one would encounter a spectrum of concord and dissent, not an unrelenting torrent of antipathy. No entity—least of all a major political party buttressed by millions—is wholly nefarious. If their every act appears odious or erroneous, it is likely one’s perceptual prism, not their chronicle, that is awry.

Now, conjure an impartial spectator—perhaps an extraterrestrial sojourner—surveying our political panorama. They would not behold one faction as exemplars and the other as malefactors. Rather, they would discern a tapestry of notions—some laudable, others dubious—strewn across the partisan divide. They would espy the shared aspirations obscured by discord’s clamor. This is the vantage we must cultivate: not reflexive tribal fealty, but a lucid, discerning apprehension of reality. It is an arduous endeavor, yet it constitutes the fulcrum of a more rational, cohesive society.

Should this awakening burgeon collectively, political stasis would yield to advancement as individuals ceased demonizing one another and commenced collaborative problem-solving. Media echo chambers would wane as we demanded veracity over partisan advocacy. Communities would mend, familial estrangements would abate, and democracy would undergo a vital renaissance—all because we had finally sundered the illusions that have long impeded our progress.