Maria Konnikova Quotes

Conformism is essential to the group coherence and 'spirit.' The whole impetus behind tribalism of this kind is conservative: Belonging to the tribe is defined by opposition to other tribes. Our tribe, and its traditional ways, is superior to other tribes because it is ours.

Before a group can enter the open society, it must first close ranks.

If you move between battalions, you are still within the same tribe.

There is little political cohesiveness within large ethnic groups, except when faced with an enemy ethnic group.

There is a sense of tranquility that I think people can get from being in an organized group, where a singular leader handles the responsibilities of individual thinking.

Further strengthenings of the self-centered instinct for survival recruit even greater numbers of people into some sort of ring of fellowship (church or gender, red state or blue) by populating the terra incognita outside the ring with enough barbarians to verify the existence of a civilization within--to define the preferred stock by what, as all good people agree, it decidedly is not.

A group needs enemies, because without enemies its identity cannot continue to be defined.

Deviants are sacrificed to increase group solidarity

The relationship of a people to their homeland is crucial. A people will naturally have a difficult time maintaining a common cultural identity without a collective presence in their homeland. Only in its homeland can a people develop economically, culturally and socially as a homogeneous entity. In fact, this is the crux of why some of us consider it necessary to struggle to live in our homeland.

A national festival is an occasion to refine and rebuild the national character.

It's usually good news when people call collectively.

Religions prosper in large part because of the communities that they create.

We need a strong civil society where the connection between different people and groups is firm and vibrant, not brittle and divided.

A people without a positive history is like a vehicle without an engine.

Strong families lead to strong nations.

Australia's migrant communities have built the country. It has been one of the key pillars of Australia's prosperity over generations.

I'm a culture guy. I sort of know all the familiar ingredients to get something going. Once everyone starts to buy in collectively, then that culture can start being built.

Language is essentially tribal, so jargon can actually be a really good thing because it unites people.

I'm all about black folks working together and progressing together.

What I'm drawn to most as a filmmaker are these tribes that are seen as 'fringe' cultures. We live in a society where many young people feel alienated, and these family constructs are an antidote to that.

In South Africa, we kind of like looking for things that unite people in big, big groups.

When fringe groups gather, there is power in that.

Nothing unites a group more than a common enemy, be it the Soviet Union or Nasty Nick from 'Big Brother.'

It is wonderful to be in solidarity with another big group of people.

I would never be into splitting up. I don't think we should ever break up, I really don't. I think we should allow each person to do things individually - go off and have a baby, lie on the beach, whatever - but still remain Girls Aloud.