what's your tribe?

[jerry mcmasters]

Pretty much as established an objective fact about human nature as any is that an individual seeks and develops tribal relationships.  So, how big or small, in your mind, is your tribe?  With what groups, if any, do you identify?  I think we can all rule out "Family and close friends" first as our tribe, you get a call in the middle of the night needing your help, you help without asking too many questions because it's the most nuclear unit.  (I shouldn't need to explain exceptions, of course this dad or that sister who is a demonstrated cunt/psychopath/neglect etc isn't in the tribe).

[no one]

Asshole.
Major asshole!

[Alan V]

That's an interesting question. I have a number of identifications:

artist
atheist
Democrat
environmentalist
Thoreauvian
introvert
writer

I wish I had one stronger identification instead of so many weak ones.

[c172]

TW: some bluntness ahead

Atheist.
Disabled.
Spina bifida.
American soccer (MLS, NWSL; USWNT, USMNT, Seattle Sounders, Portland Thorns)
women's gymnastics (NCAA, elite, USA)
other soccer (Eredivisie [both m/w], Liga MX [m/w], Premier League, miscellaneous admin/front office/league news on social media)
political independent
emergency buff
abuse patient (molestation, ableism)
social media dependent (most of society seems to see that as a bad thing, but in my case, it's a freeing and educating thing, and a cultural identifier)
music buff (drone, ambient techno, 80's/90's mainstream, old jazz, indie, in no particular order)
80's nostalgic

[Tres Leches]

If I had to pick one it would be urban dwellers. I feel safe in every meaning of the word when I'm in a giant city surrounded by lots of...other urban dwellers. I love the anonymity of city crowds yet I feel like I fit in the best among other city people.

-Teresa

[GenesisNemesis]

Humanist
Progressive/"leftist"
Atheist
Death positive
People born with genetic disorders
Introvert
Autism spectrum 
Adult child of alcoholics
Sexual/emotional abuse survivors
Classical (and electronic) music lovers
Gamer
Book lovers
Nature lovers

Maybe some more but that's it for now. 

Oh yeah, I forgot "Jews". 

[Dom]

Atheist
introvert
nature observer
dog lover
cat lover
bird lover
Death with dignity proponent
sexual abuse survivor
lover of most types of music
cultural diversity proponent
herder of feral cats

[Aliza]

Asshole.
Major asshole!

Oh please... you're no one at all.

[no one]

I'm not even that. Less than zero.

[adey67]

Dog lover
General animal lover (NOT in the biblical sense) 
Mental illness survivor (so far) 
Addiction survivor (so far) 
Nursing/medical community
Find a grave community (it's a website based interest group) 
Food and cooking community 
Humourist (often inappropriate but hey you don't have to like it)
Bibliophile
WW1 and Vietnam War history enthusiast.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

Most Morlock. (When on a sea-going command I worked in the enginerooms, the nether depths of the ship.)

[julep]

Musicians
ASD community 
Writers

[jerry mcmasters]

Humanist
Progressive/"leftist"
Atheist
Death positive
People born with genetic disorders
Introvert
Autism spectrum 
Adult child of alcoholics
Sexual/emotional abuse survivors
Classical (and electronic) music lovers
Gamer
Book lovers
Nature lovers

Maybe some more but that's it for now. 

Oh yeah, I forgot "Jews". 

Did you just copy and paste this from Hitler's personal checklist of Final Solution targets?

[Szuchow]

Anti-Fideist*
Anti-Fascist
Atheist
Member of working class
Leftist
Reader


*https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fideism

[SYZ]

Grumpy old men.

[Vera]

Human. And I've been increasingly unhappy about it too.

“I wish I loved the Human Race;
I wish I loved its silly face;
I wish I liked the way it walks;
I wish I liked the way it talks;
And when I’m introduced to one,
I wish I thought “What Jolly Fun!”
― Sir Walter Alexander Raleigh


I detest groups, group mentality, group loyalty... anything with groups, really.

[Dom]

Human. And I've been increasingly unhappy about it too.

“I wish I loved the Human Race;
I wish I loved its silly face;
I wish I liked the way it walks;
I wish I liked the way it talks;
And when I’m introduced to one,
I wish I thought “What Jolly Fun!”
― Sir Walter Alexander Raleigh


I detest groups, group mentality, group loyalty... anything with groups, really.

Probably you are a fellow introvert then.  

[Vera]

Probably you are a fellow introvert then.  

More than this. I mean, I am that too, but I'm starting to feel less and less in common with a lot of what "makes us human"... which is actually the animal part of us. Which I have no problem with, being animals, I just... wish we weren't such powerless but proud slaves to our instincts when we could at least *try* and maybe use our brains a bit more (though maybe we can't, who knows...). Like I've said before, the human brain may well be the most complex thing in the universe but then it's also the biggest waste in it

"Beasts, birds, and insects, even to the minutest and meanest of their kind, act with the unerring providence of instinct; man, the while, who possesses a higher faculty, abuses it, and therefore goes blundering on."
Robert Southey

I don't even agree with this exactly, we don't abuse it, we just refuse to use it (god, all them poems I've been translating must've done a number on my brain ).

[Dom]

Probably you are a fellow introvert then.  

More than this. I mean, I am that too, but I'm starting to feel less and less in common with a lot of what "makes us human"... which is actually the animal part of us. Which I have no problem with, being animals, I just... wish we weren't such powerless but proud slaves to our instincts when we could at least *try* and maybe use our brains a bit more (though maybe we can't, who knows...). Like I've said before, the human brain may well be the most complex thing in the universe but then it's also the biggest waste in it

"Beasts, birds, and insects, even to the minutest and meanest of their kind, act with the unerring providence of instinct; man, the while, who possesses a higher faculty, abuses it, and therefore goes blundering on."
Robert Southey

I don't even agree with this exactly, we don't abuse it, we just refuse to use it (god, all them poems I've been translating must've done a number on my brain   ).

Our conscious mind is only evoked when the hardware and software in our brains fail to bring a distinct result. Most of how we react to things never reaches the conscious mind, it is determined by our genes plus experience plus chemistry. We like to think we are in control, but we can only make conscious decisions about things our brain forwards to us.

Free will is but a tiny part of what makes us tick. 

That said, I tend to prefer the company of dogs and cats etc. to that of humans myself. I understand them better.

[Bucky Ball]

Atheist
introvert
nature observer
dog lover
cat lover
bird lover
Death with dignity proponent
sexual abuse survivor
lover of most types of music
cultural diversity proponent
herder of feral cats

Here's a strange bird I didn't know existed until yesterday.



My tribe has always been the insufferable know-it-alls.

[Deesse23]

Weird mix of cynicism and naivety.

[Alan V]

Our conscious mind is only evoked when the hardware and software in our brains fail to bring a distinct result. Most of how we react to things never reaches the conscious mind, it is determined by our genes plus experience plus chemistry. We like to think we are in control, but we can only make conscious decisions about things our brain forwards to us.

Free will is but a tiny part of what makes us tick. 

That said, I tend to prefer the company of dogs and cats etc. to that of humans myself. I understand them better.

Our consciousness oversees a lot of automatic activity in which it doesn't have to actively intervene as long as everything is going smoothly.  That doesn't mean consciousness isn't actively doing its job when we seem to be running on automatic.  We forget most of what happens as it rolls along, because we only pay attention to each bit for a second.

I've lived with my wife's cats for years, and must add that I would prefer no animals at all in the house.  Ninja adds a bit of chaos to every day, which I could live without.

[Dom]

Our conscious mind is only evoked when the hardware and software in our brains fail to bring a distinct result. Most of how we react to things never reaches the conscious mind, it is determined by our genes plus experience plus chemistry. We like to think we are in control, but we can only make conscious decisions about things our brain forwards to us.

Free will is but a tiny part of what makes us tick. 

That said, I tend to prefer the company of dogs and cats etc. to that of humans myself. I understand them better.

Our consciousness oversees a lot of automatic activity in which it doesn't have to actively intervene as long as everything is going smoothly.  That doesn't mean consciousness isn't actively doing its job when we seem to be running on automatic.  We forget most of what happens as it rolls along, because we only pay attention to each bit for a second.

I've lived with my wife's cats for years, and must add that I would prefer no animals at all in the house.  Ninja adds a bit of chaos to every day, which I could live without.

I am fascinated with communication with animals - hence likely my time training canines and also raising exotic birds. My companions don't cause any chaos around here - or maybe I don't perceive it the same way you do. I can't even imagine living without animal companions. I don't think I could.

What you call consciousness there is what I call awareness, but it really makes no difference. Without it we would bump into stuff etc.

[jerry mcmasters]

Our conscious mind is only evoked when the hardware and software in our brains fail to bring a distinct result. Most of how we react to things never reaches the conscious mind, it is determined by our genes plus experience plus chemistry. We like to think we are in control, but we can only make conscious decisions about things our brain forwards to us.

Free will is but a tiny part of what makes us tick. 

That said, I tend to prefer the company of dogs and cats etc. to that of humans myself. I understand them better.

Our consciousness oversees a lot of automatic activity in which it doesn't have to actively intervene as long as everything is going smoothly.  That doesn't mean consciousness isn't actively doing its job when we seem to be running on automatic.  We forget most of what happens as it rolls along, because we only pay attention to each bit for a second.

I've lived with my wife's cats for years, and must add that I would prefer no animals at all in the house.  Ninja adds a bit of chaos to every day, which I could live without.

I am fascinated with communication with animals - hence likely my time training canines and also raising exotic birds. My companions don't cause any chaos around here - or maybe I don't perceive it the same way you do. I can't even imagine living without animal companions. I don't think I could.

What you call consciousness there is what I call awareness, but it really makes no difference. Without it we would bump into stuff etc.

Yeah, but Dom you don't have Ninja.  I've heard stories about that cat.  One time he ja;lidjf a;lsleej

asdf
avcxa
sdf

kfal;sdjk;kkrerrrrr

[Alan V]

Yeah, but Dom you don't have Ninja.  I've heard stories about that cat.  One time he ja;lidjf a;lsleej

asdf
avcxa
sdf

kfal;sdjk;kkrerrrrr

Just last night, my wife got me out of bed right after I retired for the day to help her clean the poop off the cat's butt.  

That kind of thing....

[/off-topic]