Podcast #217: The Importance of Having a Tribe | The Art of Manliness

In many modern, Western democracies, individualism reigns supreme. The goal of life is to be a man who marches to the beat of his own drummer and is unencumbered by others. Individuals who prefer tribalism or group belonging are either looked at with suspicion or disdain. But what if our quest for hyper-individualism is actually making us miserable? What if belonging to a tight-knit group that requires loyalty and self-sacrifice is the key to feeling fulfilled and wholly human? That’s the argument that my guest makes in his latest book. His name is Sebastian Junger. You may have read his account of being embedded with an Army platoon serving in Afghanistan in his must-read book War, or seen his visceral documentary about battle in the Korengal Valley called Restrepo. In his latest book, Tribe, Junger uses his firsthand experience as a war reporter as a starting point in exploring the vital human need to belong to a group. In today’s show, Sebastian and I discuss how humans are wired for tribalism, how males bond, and whether or not it’s possible to recapture tribe in a large and prosperous society. Follow us! https://ift.tt/YAd15k http://twitter.com/artofmanliness