In present-day America, the signs and symptoms of group tensions are unmistakable and disquieting. Ferguson, Missouri, the Muslim Ban, and the Mexican Border Wall remind us that race, religion, and region continue to define us, separate us, and hinder our progress as a nation. After every incident, the population arrays itself along the usual fault lines, each faction supporting its team, protecting its own, and defending the in-group. The group bias is as predictable as it is destructive, sabotaging any attempt to find common ground.
Is it an exaggeration to link Ferguson and Rwanda? Of course. When it comes to the specifics and scope of these disparate events, they are worlds apart. But what they have in common is the source. Both events tapped into the unfortunate human trait of group identity and its attendant loyalties and prejudices. On all sides. As determined by experiments in the minimal group paradigm, this trait is prevalent and biological. It is baked into our DNA.
For this very reason, it is best to consider group bias as a “system defect,” requiring a systematic response. It is intrinsic to all of humanity and lurks in the back of our consciousness, affecting almost everything we say or do. Blaming individuals for their biased feelings would be no more effective than firing Natalie for failing to address the alarm. Instead, we must constantly work together to overcome this destructive tendency, and curb its harmful impact in our quest for coalescence.
From The Ailing Nation, Chapter Eight: Acceptance