Self-Reflection - How Well Do You Bridge Tribal Divides?
Related Chapters: Chapter 43 – Tribes: Just Us or Us vs. Them • Chapter 78 – Bridging Tribal Divides.
Every one of us belongs to tribes—families, professions, neighborhoods, religions, political groups, generations, cultures, and communities. These identities provide belonging, purpose, and support. Yet they can also encourage stereotypes, division, and conflict when loyalty to our own group overshadows our shared humanity.
This reflection explores how intentionally you navigate the balance between loyalty to your own groups and openness toward those who belong to different ones.
Reflection Statements
Scoring:
1 = Rarely 2 = Sometimes 3 = Often 4 = Almost Always
Write your score in the blank preceding each statement.
_______ 1. I can appreciate the strengths of my own groups without believing they are superior to others.
_______ 2. I try to understand why people from other groups hold different perspectives.
_______ 3. I have meaningful relationships with people whose backgrounds or beliefs differ significantly from my own.
_______ 4. I can criticize my own tribe when I believe it is wrong.
_______ 5. I recognize when loyalty to a group begins to interfere with objective thinking.
_______ 6. Before judging another group, I try to understand how its members see themselves.
_______ 7. I avoid assuming that all members of a group think or behave alike.
_______ 8. I make an effort to reduce unnecessary conflict rather than deepen divisions.
_______ 9. I can discuss emotionally charged issues without attacking the character of people who disagree with me.
_______ 10. I look for shared goals before focusing on differences.
_______ 11. I recognize that my own tribe has both strengths and shortcomings.
_______ 12. I try to speak about people outside my groups with fairness and respect.
_______ 13. I recognize when fear or identity is influencing my reactions to another group.
_______ 14. I believe understanding usually accomplishes more than hostility.
_______ 15. I try to expand my concern beyond the people who are most like me.
_______ 16. I hope to become a bridge-builder rather than someone who deepens unnecessary divisions.
Total Score: ________
Reflection Questions
Before reviewing your score, pause for a few moments and consider these questions:
- Which tribes have most shaped your identity?
- Which tribe has given you the greatest sense of belonging?
- Have you ever changed your opinion about another group after getting to know someone personally?
- Which tribal identity most strongly influences your thinking today?
- In what small way could you become more of a bridge-builder this year?
- Have you ever looked back on a group you once belonged to and realized it was mistaken?
- Under what circumstances might loyalty to your group interfere with your conscience?
- If people outside your tribe described your tribe, what strengths and weaknesses might they see that you overlooked?
- Have you ever silently gone along with something you believed was wrong because speaking up felt costly?
- Which people or groups do you find it hardest to see as fully human?
- If history remembers your generation, what moral blind spots might it identify?
- What important question do you wish had been included?
Sometimes these questions are more revealing than any score.
Interpreting Your Score
49–64 – An Intentional Bridge-Builder
Your responses suggest that you value both belonging and openness. You appear able to appreciate your own communities while remaining curious about others. You recognize that differences need not become divisions and that understanding often begins with respectful listening.
37–48 – Generally Open Across Differences
You usually navigate tribal differences thoughtfully, although emotionally charged issues or strong group loyalties may occasionally narrow your perspective. Continued efforts to build relationships across differences can strengthen both your understanding and your influence.
25–36 – Tribal Instincts Sometimes Limit Understanding
Your responses suggest that loyalty to familiar groups or discomfort with differences may sometimes interfere with curiosity and empathy. Becoming more aware of stereotypes, identity threats, and common humanity can help transform disagreement into dialogue.
16–24 – An Opportunity to Expand Your Moral Community
Your responses suggest that group identity may often shape how you perceive people outside your own communities. Tribal instincts are a natural part of being human, but they need not define the limits of your compassion. Every effort to see others as individuals rather than representatives of a group helps strengthen both relationships and society.
Reflection Notes (Optional)
Use this space to capture any thoughts, insights, questions, surprises, or intentions that came to mind while completing this reflection.
A Note About This Reflection
This reflection is not intended to measure your loyalty or determine whether your beliefs are right or wrong. Instead, it explores how you respond to one of the most powerful features of human nature: our tendency to divide the world into "us" and "them." Healthy communities require loyalty, but flourishing societies also require curiosity, humility, and a willingness to recognize the humanity of those outside our own circles. Rather than focusing solely on your total score, notice the individual statements where you rated yourself highest. They may identify opportunities to expand your understanding while remaining true to your own values.