In Tribal: How the Cultural Instincts That Divide Us Can Help Bring Us Together, Michael Morris takes us on a fascinating journey into the heart of what divides and unites humanity. At its core, Tribal is about the instincts that shape human behavior and how they can be both the sources of deep divisions and the keys to forming cohesive, thriving societies.
This post looks at Morris’s argument, incorporating simplified language for clarity through alliteration—specifically by referring to the three instincts as prevalence, prestige, and precedence. For those of you familiar with my work on honor and shame, you will recognize familiar themes here.
The Power of Prevalence
Morris describes the “Peer Instinct” as a fundamental drive for conformity and belonging. This pull aligns with group norms, whether from a family, community, or nation. Think of this as the prevalence instinct— an impulse that makes the practices and beliefs of our peer group prevalent in our minds and actions. This instinct is crucial for fostering social cohesion; it ensures that individuals coordinate their behavior to what is considered acceptable or beneficial for the collective.
Prevalence is what encourages us to follow the crowd, not out of blind obedience but out of an inherent desire to belong and contribute to something larger than ourselves. For example, the reason people stand in line at a grocery store rather than push their way to the front is largely due to this instinct. It’s about maintaining harmony and upholding social rules that benefit everyone.
While this instinct can create strong in-group and out-group dynamics, it also makes societies function. By understanding prevalence, we gain insight into how norms form, how they influence behavior, and how they can either divide us or bring us together.
Morris acknowledges that prevalence has its dangers. When the need to conform becomes overpowering, it leads to exclusion, discrimination, and even conflict with those outside our immediate group. Tribal also suggests that this instinct can be harnessed positively. If leaders and communities consciously set inclusive norms, the prevalence instinct can motivate individuals to embrace diversity and work towards shared goals.
The Pursuit of Prestige
The second instinct Morris describes is the “Hero Instinct,” which drives individuals to seek recognition, contribute to their group, and emulate those they admire. We can reframe this as the prestige instinct— the desire to earn respect and admiration from others by making meaningful contributions. This impulse fuels ambition, motivates innovation, and encourages people to go above and beyond for their communities.
Prestige is the force that compels people to achieve, stand out, and be acknowledged for their efforts. It’s what motivates an athlete to push through pain to win a championship and the student to study late into the night to earn top grades. Prestige is about earning the respect of others by excelling in ways that align with the values of one’s group. It fosters healthy competition, drives progress, and strengthens the social fabric by encouraging individuals to invest their talents in collective well-being.
Not surprisingly, the prestige instinct can also have a darker side. When the pursuit of recognition becomes more about personal glory than about contributing to the community, it can lead to division, jealousy, and unethical behavior. Morris highlights that unchecked ambition, driven by a desire for prestige, can fracture communities and lead to destructive power struggles.
The key, then, is to channel the prestige instinct towards communal goals, encouraging individuals to seek recognition not just for their own advancement but for the betterment of their group as a whole.
The Pull of Precedence
The third instinct Morris identifies is the “Ancestor Instinct,” which involves respect for traditions and the wisdom of those who came before us.
We can think of this as the precedence instinct—the inclination to honor what has been established by previous generations. Precedence is about stability, continuity, and the value of collective memory. It is what ties individuals to their heritage, providing a sense of identity and rootedness.
Precedence plays a vital role in maintaining societal stability. By valuing the customs and traditions passed down through generations, individuals can draw on a shared history that helps to bind them together. This instinct gives people a sense of place in the world, a feeling that they are part of an ongoing story that extends beyond their individual lives. It fosters resilience, as communities can draw strength from the wisdom and practices that have helped previous generations overcome challenges.
Like the other instincts, precedence also has its pitfalls. A rigid adherence to tradition can prevent progress, exclude those who do not fit neatly into established norms, and create barriers to innovation. Morris argues that while precedence is crucial for providing continuity, it must be balanced with openness to change. Traditions should be respected, but they should also evolve to meet the needs of the present. By doing so, communities can ensure that the precedence instinct serves as a source of strength rather than a hindrance to growth.
Bringing It All Together
Morris’s central argument in Tribal is that these three instincts— prevalence, prestige, and precedence— are double-edged swords. They have the potential to divide us, creating barriers between groups and leading to conflict. However, they also hold the key to unity, if we understand and leverage them effectively. By recognizing these instincts within ourselves and others, we can find ways to bridge divides and foster greater understanding and cooperation.
To bring people together, Morris suggests that we must be intentional about how we engage these instincts. For prevalence, one application is to establish inclusive social norms that encourage individuals to see themselves as part of a broader, diverse community. For prestige, it means celebrating contributions that benefit the group rather than glorifying individual achievements at the expense of others. And for precedence, it means honoring tradition while remaining open to change, ensuring that the wisdom of the past is used to inform, rather than restrict, the future.
By simplifying Morris’s language into prevalence, prestige, and precedence, we see clearly and remember more easily how these cultural instincts shape human behavior.
They remind us that while division is an ever-present risk, unity is always within reach. The instincts that have the power to pull us apart also contain the seeds of our greatest potential for coming together—if we use them wisely. Understanding and channeling these forces constructively is key to building a society where all individuals feel valued, respected, and connected.