The Social Chronicles - Part 1: Tribalism and the Degradation of Discourse

Welcome to the inaugural edition of The Social Chronicles! Having immersed myself in the intricate and often bizarre realm of social media, search engines, and blogs for over a decade, dissecting, predicting, and sometimes influencing human behavior, I find it fitting to share a series of amusing insights gleaned over the years. Just when we believe we've reached the zenith of social interaction, a new TikTok sensation emerges, offering a fresh lens through which to view our digital landscape.

While we're often reminded of the uniqueness of individuals, prolonged exposure to my line of work reveals a world teeming with segments and personas, and ultimately undeniable patterns.

Let's commence our series by exploring a ubiquitous phenomenon we encounter daily: social tribalism. Steering clear of the predictable topics such as gender, religion, geopolitics, and genetics to avoid being ensnared in the clutches of tribalism's sacrificial altar, let's consider... diets! I daresay, few would readily identify as broccoli. Should someone do so, my sincerest apologies for any offense caused, along with a recommendation for professional help.

Once upon a time, amidst a burgeoning concern for both physical and mental well-being, dietary choices emerged as a cornerstone for personal health enhancement. A plethora of diets surfaced, ranging from extreme short term fleeting fads like juice cleanses, wonder soups and the 3-day cardiac plan to more comprehensive regimens like the Mediterranean, South Beach, and Montignac diets. An interesting offshoot focused on the more restrictive Atkins, Paleo, Vegetarian, and Pescetarian lifestyles.

Irrespective of their origins and underlying philosophies, these diets initially shared a semblance of correlation and alignment, particularly concerning the scientific rationale behind them. Emphasizing the reduction of processed foods and simple carbohydrates while advocating for the consumption of complex carbohydrates and proteins, their benefits seemed readily comprehensible. Moreover, a vibrant discourse flourished among proponents of each diet, fostering mutual learning and adaptation—a harmonious ecosystem within the dietary domain.

However, what transpired next was a swift polarization of factions on social media, with groups adopting increasingly extreme stances and fervently adhering to oversimplified doctrines, effectively weaponizing their chosen diets into cult-like followings.

In one corner, we witnessed the evolution from the Mediterranean diet to Paleo, with offshoots veering towards vegetarianism and veganism, culminating in the most radical outlier: raw veganism. It’s mantra: eat only raw vegetables – nothing else. Drink water.

In the opposing corner, the Atkins diet metamorphosed into ketogenic and pescetarian variations, ultimately giving rise to the carnivore diet. It’s mantra: eat only animal protein – nothing else. Drink water.

Both extreme diets are racking up an extreme following, lots of influencers are jumping onto the bandwagon and the two tribes were solidified.

Despite their ideological disparities regarding optimal nutrition, both tribes exhibit striking similarities:

• Embracing the most extreme dietary positions, narrowing food intake to singular categories.
• Proclaiming extravagant health benefits ranging from weight loss, increased energy, focus, better sleep, reversing hair loss, all chronic illnesses miraculously cured, and I believe someone even reversed ageing by only eating beef …
• They have zero tolerance for debate. It is a cult. The dogma is not questionable.
• They vilify the other tribe: raw vegans claim rotting meat stays in your intestine for 30 years (not true) and carnivores claim that vegetables do not like to be eaten and have a defense mechanism that poisons the humans eating them (also not true)
• Besides vilifying each other, they are in violent agreement that the ‘establishment’ (aka the government) is leading a cabal (often either imposed by the WEF or some dark agricultural lobby) and every nutritional advice they give is hence designed to mellow the ‘stupid’ people who do not follow an extreme form by going against the established scientific narrative.

What insights can we glean from this microcosm of social tribalism (applicable to all such confrontations in the digital sphere)?

• Rational discourse has left the room. Facts are replaced by testimonials and claims.
• Dogma supersedes dialogue.
• Someone out there – not the tribe members – has monetized it.

When we prioritize rigid positions over genuine dialogue and interests, we regress. However, amidst this devolution, rest assured, there are unseen hands orchestrating strategies to capitalize on our tribal inclinations, all while profiting from our divisions.

Or like a friend of mine once said: "Ha! I have not been brainwashed. I do not own a single Apple product!" I replied: "Exactly, and we have built a box just for people like you who we sell other shit to, from the same owner."