Taking Sides Is Good

Challenging Amy Chua’s warnings about tribalism

Photo: davide ragusa on Unsplash

Law professor Amy Chua, who popularized the concept of the “tiger mom,” has a new book out that takes aim at the downsides of political tribalism. But what if tribalism is the point of politics?

Surely, political conflict can be unpleasant to witness day after day and year after year — especially for a lot of professors and media elites who closely follow political debates. But we shouldn’t forget that “tribalism” is the result of real disagreements about the future of our country and our world. When the stakes are high, we often need to embrace tribalism, and expand who is included in our tribe, to win.

Further, we can’t let discomfort with the combative nature of politics distract us from just how far gone the right in America has become and how desperately we need to work together to support disadvantaged people across class and race lines. The American left is rising up after years of decline precisely because it recognizes the need to build and grow its political tribe and build and grow its power.

Politics Is About Choosing Sides

Chua’s thesis rests on the idea that American democracy should overcome tribalism and that leaders have to be able to work across ideological divides to succeed. Summarizing…