Elections and politics

It's interesting that tribalism has come up over and over again on this thread, and of course a distrust of it.

Could this distrust of tribes be an autistic thing?

Is it because we're usually the ones nobody wants in their tribe?

Is it because we see the games tribes play?

Are we a tribe and if we are what are the characteristics?

A few interesting points in your post TheCatWoman.

I have never understood why and how people identify with a single political party across their whole life. Parties change. Policies change. Membership changes. Leaders change. The Labour party under Callaghan, Blair and Corbyn for example - utterly different beasts. I have always looked at what each party is saying and voted accordingly. I've voted for many different parties.

Since the referendum in Scotland we've essentially split into two tribes - nationalists and everyone else. The SNP have objectively demonstrated that they are profoundly incompetent and corrupt and have multiple legal cases running against them, but people keep voting for them because essentially, that's their identity now. Democracy cannot function when people ignore the policies parties are actually proposing.

The second point is about autistics distrusting tribes. I think so. I have always been deeply sceptical about everything. Before I make a decision about anything - politics, religion, a TV programme, what brand of coffee to buy - I research it. Concepts like emotion and identity don't enter into it. I want hard facts. Being accepted into a "gang" will not make a patent untruth become acceptable.

A few interesting points in your post TheCatWoman.

I have never understood why and how people identify with a single political party across their whole life. Parties change. Policies change. Membership changes. Leaders change. The Labour party under Callaghan, Blair and Corbyn for example - utterly different beasts. I have always looked at what each party is saying and voted accordingly. I've voted for many different parties.

Since the referendum in Scotland we've essentially split into two tribes - nationalists and everyone else. The SNP have objectively demonstrated that they are profoundly incompetent and corrupt and have multiple legal cases running against them, but people keep voting for them because essentially, that's their identity now. Democracy cannot function when people ignore the policies parties are actually proposing.

The second point is about autistics distrusting tribes. I think so. I have always been deeply sceptical about everything. Before I make a decision about anything - politics, religion, a TV programme, what brand of coffee to buy - I research it. Concepts like emotion and identity don't enter into it. I want hard facts. Being accepted into a "gang" will not make a patent untruth become acceptable.

What has become clear is the democratic system and democracy itself has been based on and is vulnerable to corruption and deception where leaders are selected not elected, elections are rigged, governments and parliaments are not transparent, you cannot vote your way out of a corrupt system nor change/reform a corrupt system from within - at least under an absolute ruler, dictator or martinet, you know where you stand and in many ways, this is a much more honest and transparent form of government - certain nobles having the ear of the king or ruler is not much different than certain political leaders being influenced by the leaders of big corporations