Who is Doing the Programming?

A Meditation On Tribes, Scripting, and Taking Control

Let’s take a moment to pat ourselves on the back for being such a kick-ass species! Sure we kill each other and ourselves needlessly. And, yes, we’ve done concrete harm to the planet. But let’s set all that aside for now and focus on what a fantastic set of sensors, processors, and actuators the human brain and body have evolved into!

We have a keen early warning system that allows us to detect subtle changes in behavior and of those around us which alert us that something is wrong. We have social behaviors such as bartering and negotiation. Interestingly, we commingle into one or more tribes based on tastes and values and the circles we’re born into. I’m guessing tribal affiliation saved our ass as a species way, way back. But this same social instinct that has evolved in our brains over tens of thousands of years may be working against us in modern times.

The world has grown fantastically complex since the early days of humanity and the same brain designed several millennia ago to exist among 150 or so people has not kept up with the vast expansion of tribal affiliation. Instead of one tribe, we belong to several. Some of the tribes are businesses. Some are political parties. Some are charities, your old friends from high school, religions, social media spheres, professional groups, and bowling leagues.

They all want a part of you, sometimes the lump sum of your human worth. Tribes continue to exist because of behaviors like giving, worship, advertising, crusading, or patronage. The seeds of these behaviors are sewn into our beliefs which, like any landscape, can be molded and shaped to yield a particular result. In this case, the desired result is survival of the tribe among many other tribes.

You are fundamental to their existence. You are their center of gravity. Some tribes truly want what’s best for you. Others say they do but deep down inside we know better.

Don’t get me wrong, aligning with ideas, beliefs, products, or any other tribal affiliation isn’t always bad. Consider the kid who enlisted in the Navy today. What about the lady going to her tenth AA meeting tonight? Both examples illustrate noble, deliberate actions. It took some forethought and consideration before doing either of these.

So who gets a piece of our action? Who do we let in?