Our nation is in an existential struggle pitting our democracy against the forces of autocracy. America’s growing inequalities in income and wealth and persistent racial inequities have divided our country, polarized our politics, and unleashed our tribal instincts. Our evolved human nature has given us a hybrid genotype. We are all partly selfish and partly altruistic, partly hierarchical/authoritarian and partly egalitarian, and we are all tribal. Is our hybrid human nature compatible with egalitarian democracy?

 

Bruce Brodie argues in WHERE ARE WE GOING? that we must change our cultural environment if we are to suppress our tribal instincts, bring out the better angels of our nature, and enable us to cooperate and address our existential problems. We must greatly reduce our economic and racial inequities and create new attitudes and perspectives – understanding how dependent we are upon one another.  We must restore the American Dream that allows us to rise from the depths of poverty to social and economic success through hard work and perseverance. Can we accomplish these goals and create a more egalitarian society that will preserve and strengthen our democracy? Can we prevail over the forces of autocracy? Are we up to the challenge?