Why Are Identity Politics So Intense in the U.S.?

Summary

This video script explores the concept of identity politics in America, rooted in the desire for individual recognition and respect. It traces the evolution from societies where identity was predetermined to modern America, where individualism is prized. The script discusses how the American ideal of equality clashes with tribal instincts and historical tribal politics, leading to bitter identity conflicts. It examines the unique political nature of American identity, founded on the Declaration of Independence's principles, and how disagreements over the interpretation of these ideals fuel ongoing societal battles.

Takeaways

• 😀 People inherently desire to feel important and recognized, which is a fundamental aspect of human nature.
• 🌟 Dale Carnegie's work emphasizes the importance of making individuals feel respected and valued to win their friendship and influence them.
• 🏛️ Identity politics has become a significant aspect of modern societies, particularly in the United States, which is structured around the principle of individual importance.
• 🕰️ Historically, earlier societies did not prioritize individual identity as much as modern societies do, with people's roles and identities often predetermined by societal norms.
• 🔨 Martin Luther's Protestant Reformation marked a pivotal shift by distinguishing between inner and outer lives, emphasizing the importance of one's inner self and faith.
• 💭 The concept of the inner self evolved over time, influenced by Romantic poets and philosophers who advocated for the inherent goodness of individuals and the corrupting influence of society.
• 🌱 Liberalism emerged as a political philosophy that argued for the protection of individuals, leading to societal structures that recognized the value of all individuals, not just an elite few.
• 🗽 The United States was founded on the principle that all people are created equal, with the Declaration of Independence setting forth the values of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
• 🔍 American society is described as 'disharmonic' due to the conflict between its ideals and the reality of group-based discrimination and politics.
• 🤝 The 'Melting Pot' ideal encourages Americans to overcome group differences and form a singular American identity, but this has not fully resolved issues of identity-based inequality.

Q & A

What is the main idea presented in the script about human nature and societal structure?

The script suggests that humans have an innate desire to feel important and recognized, which has led to the development of identity politics. It discusses how societies have evolved from rigid social orders to ones that prioritize individual importance, with the United States being a prime example of a society structured around the principle of individual value.

How did Martin Luther's Protestant Reformation influence the concept of identity?

Martin Luther's Reformation emphasized the distinction between inner and outer lives, prioritizing inner faith over outer rituals. This shift allowed for the political conception of prioritizing one's inner life, which contributed to the development of the idea of an authentic inner self separate from societal identity.

What role did Romantic Poets and philosophers like John Jacques Rousseau play in the evolution of the inner self concept?

Romantic Poets and philosophers such as Rousseau contributed to the evolution of the inner self concept by glorifying personal inner thoughts and feelings and proposing that society was the source of many of humanity's problems, thus pushing the idea that society should recognize the inherent value of individuals and their inner selves.

How did the political philosophy of liberalism influence the structure of societies?

Liberalism argued for a government that protects individuals' rights, leading to a shift from societies structured around an elite few to democracies that recognize the inherent equal value of everyone. This philosophy was instrumental in changing institutions to be more inclusive and individual-focused.

What is the significance of the Declaration of Independence in shaping American identity?

The Declaration of Independence is significant as it encapsulates the American ideology, emphasizing principles like equality, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. It declares a baseline level of dignity and respect for every individual, setting the foundation for American identity and society.

Why is the concept of identity politics particularly bitter in America according to the script?

The script suggests that the bitterness in American identity politics stems from a conflict between the ideals and the reality of America. The strong political ideals of freedom and equality are not always reflected in actual experiences, leading to intense debates and political fighting as people try to reconcile these differences.

How does the script describe the American identity as unique compared to other national identities?

The script describes American identity as unique because it is founded on political ideals rather than organic historical evolution. It was established at a specific moment in time with the signing of the Declaration of Independence, making it distinct from other national identities that are often based on shared history, culture, and ethnicity.

What are the five principles that form the American consensus according to the script?

The five principles that form the American consensus are liberty, equality, individualism, democracy, and the rule of law under the Constitution. These values are widely shared and form the bedrock of American identity.

Why do disagreements over identity politics in America often lead to intense political battles?

Disagreements over identity politics in America lead to intense political battles because they challenge the core values that form the American identity. When these values are perceived as under threat or not being upheld, it can feel like an existential threat, leading to passionate defense and conflict.

How does the script suggest that the American identity might be affected if its core values were taken away?

The script implies that if the core values of the American identity were taken away, such as liberty, equality, and democracy, there would be a significant impact on what holds Americans together and what defines America as a nation. It suggests that these values are so integral to the identity that their removal could lead to a crisis of national identity.

Outlines

00:00

🌟 The Importance of Individual Identity and Recognition

The paragraph discusses the intrinsic human desire to feel important and recognized. It contrasts modern societies, where individuals are encouraged to explore their identity, with historical societies where roles were predetermined. The paragraph highlights the influence of Martin Luther and the Protestant Reformation in emphasizing the importance of an individual's inner life over societal roles. It also touches on the development of liberalism and the shift towards democracies that value the individual, exemplified by the United States' founding principles in the Declaration of Independence.

05:01

🏗️ The Evolution of Identity and Tribalism in Society

This paragraph delves into the concepts of self and group identity, explaining how humans naturally categorize and form in-groups and out-groups. It discusses the inherent tribalism in human nature and how this plays out in society, from children's games to sports team rivalries. The paragraph also addresses the American ideal of equality and the challenges in reconciling this with the reality of identity-based tribalism. It critiques the 'Melting Pot' approach and discusses the ongoing group-based politics in America, suggesting that the country is a 'disharmonic society' where ideals and reality are in conflict.

10:01

🗣️ The Bitterness of Identity Politics in America

The paragraph explores the unique nature of American identity, which is deeply rooted in political ideals rather than shared history or culture. It discusses how Americans are encouraged to value their personal experiences and feelings, leading to a sense of entitlement when they perceive societal contradictions. The paragraph examines the bitter political fights that arise from these contradictions, suggesting that the intensity of these conflicts is due to the centrality of American values in national identity. It also notes the power dynamics at play, where attention to one group's issues is seen as a threat to another's interests.

15:03

🏛️ The Unprecedented Nature of American Identity and Its Impact

This final paragraph emphasizes the uniqueness of American identity, which is founded on a specific historical moment and a set of political ideals. It contrasts this with other national identities that have deeper historical and cultural roots. The paragraph suggests that the political nature of American identity makes it particularly susceptible to passionate defense and critique. It concludes by reflecting on the existential threat that perceived failures of American ideals can represent to the nation's identity, and how this leads to intense political battles that are both a sign of division and a testament to the活力 of American society.

Keywords

💡Identity Politics

Identity politics refers to political positions based on the interests and perspectives of social groups with which people identify. In the video, identity politics is discussed as a modern phenomenon that has become more pronounced with societies structured around the importance of individuals. It is highlighted as a source of conflict in America, where the ideals of equality and the reality of unequal treatment of different identity groups clash, leading to political battles.

💡Inner Self

The inner self is the concept of an individual's true feelings, beliefs, and identity separate from societal expectations. The video discusses how the idea of an inner self, distinct from societal roles, developed over time, with Martin Luther's Reformation being a pivotal moment. This concept is crucial to understanding the video's theme as it underpins the modern emphasis on individuality and personal identity, which are central to identity politics.

💡Authenticity

Authenticity in the context of the video refers to the genuine, true-to-oneself nature of an individual's identity, as opposed to the identity imposed by societal roles or norms. The video mentions that earlier societies did not leave much space for individuals to explore their authentic selves, unlike modern societies where there's an emphasis on personal experiences and feelings, which are seen as integral to one's identity.

💡Liberalism

Liberalism is a political philosophy that advocates for the protection of individual rights and freedoms. The video connects the rise of liberalism with the shift towards societies structured around individual needs and rights, rather than the collective. It is noted that liberalism played a significant role in the development of democratic societies, which are more inclusive and less hierarchical than monarchies, thus influencing the current landscape of identity politics.

💡Declaration of Independence

The Declaration of Independence is a foundational document of the United States, which the video uses to illustrate the American ideals of equality and individual rights. It is mentioned as a symbol of the political act that established American identity, emphasizing the principles of liberty, equality, and the pursuit of happiness, which are central to the American creed and the country's identity politics.

💡Tribalism

Tribalism in the video refers to the human tendency to form in-groups and out-groups, favoring members of one's own group. It is discussed as a natural psychological driver that can lead to identity-based conflicts. The video contrasts tribalism with the American ideal of equality, suggesting that while the Declaration of Independence proclaims equality, tribal tendencies can lead to identity politics and discrimination.

💡Melting Pot

The Melting Pot is an ideal where people of diverse backgrounds come together to form a cohesive society, shedding their individual group identities to become part of a larger American identity. The video discusses this as a historical solution to identity politics in America, suggesting that it encourages unity and overcoming of group differences, but also acknowledges that it hasn't fully worked, as group-based behavior and politics persist.

💡American Creed

The American Creed, as mentioned in the video, encompasses the core values that define American identity, such as liberty, equality, individualism, democracy, and rule of law. These values are seen as the political foundation of the United States, and the video argues that they form a consensus that is widely shared among Americans, despite disagreements on their interpretation and application.

💡Affirmative Action

Affirmative action is a policy measure that aims to correct the effects of discrimination by providing certain groups with preferential treatment. The video uses affirmative action as an example of a contentious issue in identity politics, where Americans may disagree on whether it promotes equality or undermines it, reflecting the broader struggle over the interpretation of American values.

💡Existential Threat

An existential threat, in the context of the video, refers to a situation that poses a significant risk to the fundamental nature or survival of a group or entity. The video suggests that when Americans perceive attacks on their core values or institutions, they feel an existential threat to their national identity, leading to passionate and bitter political conflicts.

Highlights

People have an innate desire to feel important and recognized, which is a fundamental aspect of human nature.

Dale Carnegie's principle that respecting and making people feel important is key to winning friends and influencing others.

Identity politics has emerged as societies are structured around the importance of individuals.

The United States is a society structured around the principle of individual importance.

In earlier societies, individuals did not have much space to contemplate their inner selves due to rigid social structures.

Martin Luther's Protestant Reformation distinguished between inner and outer lives, prioritizing faith and inner feelings.

The idea of an 'inner self' evolved over time, influenced by Romantic poets and philosophers like Rousseau.

Liberalism arose as a political philosophy advocating for the protection of individuals, influencing societal structures.

The Declaration of Independence encapsulates the American ideology of equality and inalienable rights.

Humans naturally categorize and form tribes, which can lead to in-group and out-group dynamics.

The American ideal of equality conflicts with the reality of identity-based tribalism.

The 'Melting Pot' ideal encourages Americans to overcome group differences and form a singular American identity.

Identity politics in America often involves fighting for more inclusive reforms that address group inequalities.

American identity is unique, being founded on political ideals rather than organic historical evolution.

American identity is deeply tied to the American creed of liberty, equality, individualism, democracy, and rule of law.

Disagreements over the interpretation of American values can lead to intense political battles.

The strong political nature of American identity makes it susceptible to passionate defense and perceived existential threats.

The fight over identity in America reflects a struggle between the ideals that unite and divide the nation.

Transcripts

people want to feel important

we all have a storyline going in our

heads and we're the main characters of

that storyline we want the world to at

least some extent reflect that that

means that down inside we're not just

machines that want material things we

don't just want food drinks houses or

cars we also have other Cravings we want

to be recognized respected and even

loved it's a basic principle of human

nature that's been reiterated countless

times but is perhaps best captured by

Dale Carnegie in 1936 who argued that if

you want to win friends and influence

people you have to pay people respect

you have to pay attention to them and

you have to make them feel important

but what does this have to do with

identity politics identity Politics as

we understand the term now emerged and

you could say became possible once we

started structuring societies around

that principle the principle of the

importance of individual people and the

United States of America is the

prominent Society on the planet

structured around that principle so

there's a lot to unpack here today we're

going to talk about identity why we care

about it why we fight over it and why

that fighting is so bitter in America I

think it'll help to start by comparing

people in societies now to people and

societies say 500 years ago or a

thousand years ago it doesn't seem like

average people in earlier societies

spent much time thinking about who they

were deep inside because the societies

that they're born into didn't leave much

space for that you were probably told

your place in the social order your

Customs your beliefs probably who you're

going to marry and probably what your

job was if you're unhappy you'd probably

go to a religious figure or an elder who

would say the solution would be to get

back in alignment with society's

expectations so basically the modern

idea of a therapist was inconceivable at

the time people were aware of identity

characteristics at the time but they

didn't have an idea of an authentic

inner self being separate from the

identity that Society placed on them so

you probably wouldn't find for example

people saying that Society labels them a

woman but deep down inside they're

authentic in herself is actually a man

Martin Luther is understood as the

person who changed that at least for

Western Civilization when he nailed his

95 Theses to the wittenberg's church

door and began the Protestant

Reformation Martin Luther importantly

made a distinction between inner lives

and outer lives our outer life is how we

conceive of ourselves in relation to

society and our inner life is how we

genuinely feel inside he said the word

of God cannot be received and honored by

any works by that he means rituals but

by faith alone and that Faith Can Reign

only in the inward man Martin Luther's

inner self only only had one dimension

it just meant your relationship with God

your decision to have faith or not of

Faith but for Martin Luther faith

suffices for everything so that marked a

shift where it became politically

conceivable to prioritize our inner life

and not our outer life the idea of our

inner life developed over time it was

pushed Along by Romantic Poets who

glorified their own inner thoughts and

feelings and philosophers like John

Jacques Rousseau who believed that

people were inherently happy and good

and that it was society that accounted

for most of Humanity's problems gaining

Mastery over other animals he said

produced Humanity's first moment of

Pride gaining Mastery over Arts and

Sciences corrupts Humanity's Souls man

is Born Free he said and everywhere he

is in Chains as the idea of the inner

self-developed the idea also spread that

Society wasn't adequately recognizing

the value of individuals and their inner

selves corresponding with these ideas

was the rise of the political philosophy

liberalism which argue argued that the

purpose of government was to protect the

individuals living under it if you asked

which individuals liberals would answer

all of them that was notably brought

along by John Locke who argued that the

purpose of government was to protect the

life liberty and property of its

citizens it was becoming possible to say

that Society should be structured around

the needs of individuals rather than

saying individuals should be expected to

conform to society and with that our

institutions changed outwent societies

that were structured to recognize the

inherent Superior value of an elite few

namely monarchies and in came

democracies which at least in theory are

structured to recognize the inherent

equal value of everyone the United

States of America was the first society

that took this step to base itself on

those principles its ideology is

captured in the Declaration of

Independence which reads we hold these

truths to be self-evident that all men

are created equal that they are endowed

by their creator with certain

unalienable rights that among the our

life liberty and the pursuit of

happiness that to secure these rights

governments are instituted among men

deriving their just powers from the

consent of the governed that whenever

any form of government becomes

destructive of these ends it is the

right of the people to alter or to

abolish it and to Institute new

government we'll get back to the

Declaration in a bit let's think for a

moment about the concept of self one way

that we think about self is in terms of

our own individual person I am me and

you are you

but another way that we think about self

is in terms of groups human beings have

a natural tendency to categorize things

we say this group of people all have a

certain thing in common so I'll create a

word for that for generalization

purposes we say these people are men and

these people are women these people are

short and these people are tall as we

make these categories we're aware when

we ourselves fit into them and we're

also aware that there are other people

who don't fit into them so there's a

relative aspect to these categories for

example we understand the concept of

being short relative to other people who

are not short human beings also have a

natural tendency towards tribalism we

naturally create in groups and out

groups people who are part of our group

and people who are not part of our group

we don't have to make groups based on

the classic identity categories we can

make groups based on other lines if you

assign two colors of shirts for kids to

wear for example kids wearing the same

color shirt will treat each other

preferentially kids will show that bias

even without prompting from adults it's

also the basic psychological driver

behind the popularity of sports

we like having our team and we like

seeing our team beat their team even if

the members of our team change

arbitrarily over time now with that in

mind let's go back to the first line I

read from the Declaration of

Independence

we hold these truths to be self-evident

that all men are created equal this is a

declaration of inherent equality this is

declaring that no one is inherently born

with higher value or lower value is

declaring a certain amount a baseline

level of dignity and respect for

everyone in America but we naturally

categorize and were inherently tribal

that means that the Declaration is

basically an ideal that's hard to

reconcile with reality

I'm sure you've seen this before but if

you just look at all the faces of

American presidents to date you might

notice some similarities in identity

traits so this is a kind of identity

politics happening whether or not the

name is invoked people in one group

being tribal and privileging members of

its own group I think from here we can

go right into the heart of the matter

America is what you could call a

disharmonic society the ideals of

America and the reality of America are

in Conflict when you're born and raised

in America you're told those ideals but

when you get to a certain age or you do

a certain amount of thinking where you

have a certain amount of experiences you

might realize that in some ways those

ideals aren't being met so what do you

do a major solution historically has

been to try to craft a universal Melting

Pot ideal that encourages Americans to

overcome their group differences to come

together and form a singular American

identity Woodrow Wilson delivered

perhaps the most famous statement to

that effect when he was speaking to an

audience of recently naturalized

citizens in Philadelphia after the

sinking of the Lusitania he said you

cannot become thorough Americans if you

think of yourself in groups

America does not consist of groups a man

who thinks of himself as belonging to a

particular National Group in America has

not yet become an American but the

problem is despite that ideal we still

have group-based behavior and

group-based politics in America today

and that was even more true back in

Wilson's time not only did we have

identity-based discrimination and even

persecution back when Wilson made that

speech but as law Professor Amy Chua

pointed out Wilson was himself a

beneficiary and practitioner of tribal

politics like every president before him

as well as nearly every holder of an

important public office Wilson was a

white Protestant male You could argue

that we should stick with this Melting

Pot approach and that America will fully

integrate and achieve identity-based

equality if you give it a long enough

timeline so that might be theoretically

possible and I'm not here to talk you

out of that but it should be

uncontroversial enough to say that it

hasn't fully worked yet another solution

to the problem would be to say that

these ideals don't work and that we need

a new Society ID with new ideals but I

don't think that's a popular enough

attitude to really get into here a third

solution Which is popular is to push for

more listic reforms which highlight the

problems that specific groups face

here's Samuel Huntington a respected

political scientist describing how the

reform approach typically Works major

groups in American society become

obsessed with the facts of inequality

lack of Freedom arbitrary power they

dramatize those facts and force them

upon the public Consciousness making it

impossible for decision makers and the

attentive public to ignore the extent to

which the actuality of political life

contradicts American beliefs that was

written in 1981 but describes the type

of identity politics that we're used to

when we hear the word today people in

America are encouraged to get in touch

with themselves they're told that their

personal experiences and their personal

feelings matter they're also told that

they live in a society where no one is

supposed to be regarded as inherently

Superior or inferior to another they

then find contradictions in their actual

experiences and feel entitled to air

their grievances publicly and demand

that Society adjust to fix those

problems and iron out its hypocrisy

other people don't recognize those

problems or they believe that their own

problems are worse or they believe that

these grievances are in some way an

attack on America and its ideals but in

any case battle lines form and then we

get the drawn out political fighting

that we're used to today I wanted to

examine why this fighting was so bitter

specifically in America America from

time to time is racked to its core from

this fighting it became popular even

just a couple years ago to speculate if

America was headed towards another civil

war just the fact that we can parse that

sentence that America might be headed

towards another civil war again largely

from Identity problems I think is

remarkable and I think the answer as to

why it's so bitter in America comes down

to the nature of American identity

American identity is unique there's no

other country in the world that has

entity quite like it and to make that

point I'll again lean on Samuel

Huntington who wrote for most peoples

national identity is the product of a

long process of historical Evolution

involving common ancestors common

experiences common ethnic background

common language common culture and

usually common religion national

identity is thus organic in character

such however is not the case in the

United States American nationalism has

been defined in political rather than

organic terms American national identity

is unusual in that it was founded as

specific moment in time and on a

political act on July 4th 1776 when the

Declaration of Independence was signed

the principles that are contained in the

Declaration formed what you could call

the American creed or American values so

what are those values you could break it

down to five principles Liberty equality

individualism democracy and rule of law

under Constitution you can call these

values the American consensus they're so

widely shared and held by Americans that

there isn't really much in the way of

competition for them those values

basically have a political Monopoly in

America there are no major political

parties or powerful movements that are

explicitly against them wrapped up in

those values really all five of them is

the statement that all men are created

equal since we believe at least as an

ideal that no one is born inherently

inferior or Superior to another we also

believe that we should structure our

society based on the principles of

freedom and equality where every single

person is considered important where all

legal adults have the right to

politically participate and where no one

is above the law while Americans do

broadly agree on those values

generically understood they disagree on

how to interpret them so for example

think about affirmative action does

affirmative action make America a more

equal country or a less equal country

what does the word equality even mean

when it comes to affirmative action

so it's a complicated question and there

isn't broad agreement on the answer the

point is that when Americans fight over

an issue like affirmative action which

is ultimately based on identity they're

fighting holding the same core values

and just disagreeing on how to interpret

them another thing that leads to

fighting is the fact that we don't have

the same experiences and we're often

working off different sets of facts so

for example whether or not you support

affirmative action might be shaped by

your experiences or the set of facts

that you're working off of so another

way to say it is that while we hold the

same values we might be living in

different realities and that can lead to

fighting despite those differences those

values come together for Americans to

form a strong and distinctly political

national identity that can't be readily

found elsewhere in the world Canada for

example doesn't have a strong sense of

national identity as their first prime

minister put it Canada has too much

geography and too little history not

only is American national identity

strong but it's also a distinctly

political ideal Amer Americans can be

accused of being Un-American when they

don't live up to the ideals of their

country and that's an accusation that's

widely understood across the country

again that's unusual most other

countries don't have that the French for

example aren't accused of being

politically unfrench the Spanish aren't

accused of being politically unspanish

another thing that's unusual about

America is that those values run to the

very bottom of American identity so

there's nothing really under them China

for example is another country that's

dominated by a single political ideology

which is communism or a socialism with

Chinese characteristics

but you could take that ideology away

and Chinese national identity would

remain they have enough shared history

and enough of a shared culture in China

that existed before communism did to

make that pretty much a certainty

Americans don't have that again American

identity began a specific Moment In Time

on July 4th 1776 and we've built

American culture and American history on

top of that so that was about 250 years

ago since then we've had one consistent

set of ideals one Constitution and one

government that all comes together to

form the Bedrock of how we think about

America and American identity if you

look around the world and try to find

another country in the same situation I

think you'll gain an appreciation for

how unique that is but that also puts a

sense of importance on America and its

institutions and its ideals so if you

took them away if you took away our

constitution or you took away our

government or you took away our ideals

then what would be left of America what

would happen to American national

identity what would hold Americans

together

the answer is that nobody knows because

it's never happened with that importance

comes passion

when Americans are told that America is

failing that it's hypocritical that it's

racist or sexist or whatever

it feels like a deep nerve is being hit

it feels like an existential threat to

the Bedrock of American identity

so then people rush to defend it and you

get these dramatic political battles on

public display for the world to see I

think there's also a simple power

politics component to all this where

people believe that placing attention

and giving into the interests of one

group hurt the prospects of their own

group

so I think that's definitely a major

component of what's happening but also

that happens everywhere and we're trying

to answer the question why is this

fighting so bitter specifically in

America so I think what I've laid out

here answers that question and hopefully

helps your understanding of what's

happening when America is racked by this

fighting it can seem like it's falling

apart and of course that's a possibility

but I think in some other senses it

means that America is coming alive

we all want to live in a society based

on the principles of freedom and

equality we want to live in a society

with individualism democracy and rule of

law under Constitution

we all want to live in a society where

all are indeed created equal

what we disagree on is what exactly

those words mean and whether or not

they've been attained in short the

values that unite us also divide us

thanks for watching

goodbye