Tribe
On Homecoming and Belonging
We have a strong instinct to belong to small groups defined by clear purpose and understanding--"tribes." This tribal connection has been largely lost in modern society, but regaining it may be the key to our psychological survival.
Decades before the American Revolution, Benjamin Franklin lamented that English settlers were constantly fleeing over to the Indians-but Indians almost never did the same. Tribal society has been exerting an almost gravitational pull on Westerners for hundreds of years, and the reason lies deep in our evolutionary past as a communal species. The most recent example of that attraction is combat veterans who come home to find themselves missing the incredibly intimate bonds of platoon life. The loss of closeness that comes at the end of deployment may explain the high rates of post-traumatic stress disorder suffered by military veterans today.
Combining history, psychology, and anthropology, Tribe explores what we can learn from tribal societies about loyalty, belonging, and the eternal human quest for meaning. It explains the irony that-for many veterans as well as civilians-war feels better than peace, adversity can turn out to be a blessing, and disasters are sometimes remembered more fondly than weddings or tropical vacations. Tribe explains why we are stronger when we come together, and how that can be achieved even in today's divided world.
Buy the book: https://www.amazon.com/Tribe-Homecoming-Belonging-Sebastian-Junger-ebook/dp/B01BCJDSNI/
Schedule
Two Thursdays at 8:30 p.m. ET / 7:30 p.m. CT.
April 18 - Introduction, "The Men and The Dog," and "War Makes You an Animal"
May 2 - "In Bitter Safety I Awake, " "Calling Home From Mars," and Postscript
Discussion Leader
Chris Markle
About the author
Sebastian Junger is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of War, The Perfect Storm, Fire, and A Death in Belmont. Together with Tim Hetherington, he directed the Academy Award-nominated film Restrepo, which won the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance. He is a contributing editor to Vanity Fair and has been awarded a National Magazine Award and an SAIS Novartis Prize for journalism. He lives in New York City.
Additional Resources
Website: https://www.sebastianjunger.com/
Discussion
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TSL Book Club kicked off their new book, “Tribe," by Sebastian Junger. They covered the chapters “The Men and The Dogs" and “War Makes You an Animal," which delve deeply into the psychological and social dynamics of war and explore its profound impact on individuals and communities.
In “The Men and The Dogs," Junger examines the experiences of soldiers returning from combat and the challenges they face reintegrating into civilian society. Despite the relief of being out of danger, many veterans struggle with a sense of loss and alienation upon returning home. Junger highlights the stark contrast between the tightly-knit bonds formed in the military and the fragmented nature of civilian life, of which the group spent much time discussing…