Interesting. This thread demonstrates 'Tribalism', in microcosm, where 'OOF' is the 'Tribe.'
Please note that I'm not commenting on the rights or wrongs on what happened,
just the observable effects.
To explain what I mean, let's tell the story again, with a different cast of players.
One day, in a local supermarket car park, Grumpy and TheBoy, were demonstrating
their Tech2 business.
A shopper rolled up in his Omega and asked if they could do anything for his car.
Grumpy said sure, bring it in here and we'll have a look at it.
Grumpy was a bit keen to show what they could do and leapt into action too soon.
He bent the cars windscreen wiper and his overall zips were scratching the car.
The shopper saw red at clodhopper Grumpy damaging his car. He leapt out, grabbed
him by his overalls and dragged him off his car.
TheBoy looked over and saw the shopper grabbing Grumpy and dragging him about
whilst shouting at him. Anxious and fearful for his mate, he leapt over and dragged
the shopper away from Grumpy and pushed him against their work van.
The shopper looked very angry and TheBoy raised his fist, fearing the worst.
The shopper saw this other bloke who had manhandled him and looked like
he was about to hit him, so he lashed out, smacking TheBoy several times
in the face. Splitting his lip and blackening his eye.
Now then. After the original telling, a lot of the 'OOF' tribe were saying that the
Shopper was correct, and the two workman deserved all they got.
Soooooo.... that would mean that they believe that Grumpy and TheBoy
deserved all they got, and, in fact, the shopper should have smashed
them up real good.
Judging by what I read on this forum, I don't believe that 'OOF' members would say that.
What we have here is 'Tribalism'. They will stand by a member of their Tribe.
The above is a microcosm of what occurs in macrocosm.
The military foster this attitude, they call it 'Esprit de Corps'. It knits their units
together and makes them a formidable fighting unit.
Politicians and Religious leaders, use this effect to start wars and strengthen
their power base. Just look throughout history. We're pretty stupid for getting
taken in time after time, aren't we?
As said above, I'm not judging or passing comment on anyone here at all.
I just found it interesting that you could find a microcosm in action, at an
'Internet Tribe' (OOF), that perfectly encapsulated the effects normally
seen in macrocosm.
Please take this post in the spirit that it was intended.
It's not a dig at anyone.
