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I am reading posts from someone explaining that there are great swaths of humans who value belonging to a group over truth or accuracy or logic or the survival of their group over a long period of time or being just to everyone regardless of group membership, and I know that my fallacy of logical informed emotionally intelligent humans consciously
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"Truth" is complicated. Can I say with certainty what interest rates should be set at, or how to make sure there are enough jobs for everyone? Do I understand how computers are made or even pencils? No. But can I understand, "These people are nice to me, so I should be nice to them"? Yes.
You might ask, "But why identify with a small group instead of a large one? Why not identify with all of humanity?" Well, for starters, not all of humanity is kind to me. But aside from that, it just isn't practical. When I had to go to the hospital, who dropped everything instantly to look after my kids? Someone on the other side of the planet, from Europe or Asia or Africa? Someone from the other side of the country? No, my mother. I am in her debt, not in a bad way, in a survival way. All of these little kindnesses knit society together into a thing that keeps all of us alive. My knowledge of quantum physics or economic policy, by contrast, does not.
The desire to be part of a group can cause much mischief, but is not in itself harmful. It is the first, necessary part of every society.
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