New Research Published in the European Journal of Social Psychology Shows Intersectionality Results In Tribal Conflict, Reduces Social Cohesion

A recent paper by the European Journal of Social Psychology argues that collective victimhood (intersectionality) fosters intergroup conflict and a lack of social cohesion.

From the abstract:

Groups that perceive themselves as victims can engage in “competitive victimhood.” We propose that, in some societal circumstances, this competition bears on the recognition of past sufferings—rather than on their relative severity—fostering negative intergroup attitudes … Overall, these studies provide evidence that struggle for victimhood recognition can foster intergroup conflict.

Elliott Hamilton of the Daily Wire explains what competitive victimhood means within the study:

The researchers defined “competitive victimhood” as the act of various individuals trying to rank their identity group’s suffering in comparison with another group’s suffering. As noted in the study, social scientists have found evidence that such activities result in intergroup conflicts.

The study shows the obvious: identity politics undermines social fabric. By playing the Victim Olympics, different groups can grow to resent each other over time, and the cohesion of society is mutated from one based on ideas, to one based on tribal boundaries, where members are expected to follow along with the rest of their particular group.

The Democratic party is notorious for playing identity politics (because they’ve largely lost the battle of ideas).

This has led to many democrats lambasting minority groups who disagree with them. For example,Democratic commentator Marc Lamont Hill called his fellow black Americans who met with then President-Elect Trump “mediocre negroes.” Among those “mediocre negroes” was comedian and beloved TV host Steve Harvey.

This is actual racism. As Ben Shapiro eloquently put it:

Just because Harvey didn’t agree with Hill that Trump ought to be boycotted, he has to be silenced as “mediocre.” That’s actual racism. Race isn’t destiny, and race isn’t a political mandate. Anyone who disagrees is promoting bigotry.

Statements like Lamont Hill’s exemplify these identity politics and are (in part) the reason Democrats have been losing numerous state legislatures and governorships over the past decade. At the heart of identity politics is competitive victimhood.

All this does is fragment our society, and contribute to racial tensions.

For the the US to continue on as a secular, pluralistic republic, we need to prioritize the competition of ideas—not tribal boundaries.