Uploaded December 2018 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago

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In this set of videos I present a framework for thinking about how polarized political and cultural environments interact with our natural tribal psychology to create "pathological tribalism". I show how under pathological tribalism our ability to think critically and independently is compromised—this environment is hostile to critical thinking.

Notes and references on the topics discussed in these videos can be found here:
kevindelaplante.com/cognitive-biases-tribalism-and-politics

This is one of a series of videos I'm doing that introduce the elements of what I call "tribal literacy" -- what citizens should know about the ways that our social identities influence how we view ourselves and the world. Links below.

More tribalism videos:

► “The Dangers of Tribalism”:youtube.com/watch?v=7y-b7f6CK2M

► ” Our Tribal Intelligence":
youtube.com/watch?v=f3ZRFemh_7M

► "In Our Tribe We Trust":
youtube.com/watch?v=QjRf8C8XmFs

► “We Can Value More Than One Kind of Thing: Cognitive Biases, Tribalism and Politics (Part 1 of 3)":
youtube.com/watch?v=2NjOzvM41zM

► "Attention, Focus and Exaggeration: Cognitive Biases, Tribalism and Politics (Part 2 of 3)":
youtube.com/watch?v=M4x4p3kmWQc

► "How Polarization Makes Us Mean and Stupid: Cognitive Biases, Tribalism and Politics (Part 3 of 3)":
youtube.com/watch?v=PIAJxU5DO7s


More critical thinking videos at argumentninja.com