[cid:image001.jpg@01D875A0.5CACDF40] December 21, 2022 My December Blog: “On Tribalism—It May or May Not Be What You Think” Dear Baruch Community, The holiday season is upon us, and my thoughts drift to my family’s tradition of spending time together in the small Pennsylvania town we lived in for more than 30 years, where our children were born and raised. We have a fuller house these days with our grown children, their spouses, and our new grandchild. During this precious time, we gather with old friends and neighbors, exchanging holiday greetings and seasonal treats while our children visit with their childhood friends, many of whom now have families of their own. Another part of the holidays I enjoy is uninterrupted time to read, think, and conduct research on subjects I am eager to learn more about. I have a (somewhat peculiar) habit of reading several books at once and, in most cases, rotating between fiction and nonfiction—typically alternating a beautiful piece of literature or history with a deep exploration on a scientific subject or a socioeconomic study. This technique, which I discovered in my years working as a scholar-researcher, helps to keep me fresh and focused. I realized that by switching the modality of my thinking not only am I better able to concentrate, but I am also inspired and more creative. Over time, I realized that my reading habits also changed the way I think. Science and humanities—both products of human ingenuity—complement each other by offering a distinct and nuanced understanding of the world and human experience. I consider this point further in my blog post. Recently, I have become interested in one of the newest and yet oldest phenomena: what is commonly known as tribalism. While it has been in existence since the earliest humans, tribalism—which is parochial by nature yet universal across cultures—has recently gained new life due to its rapid rise across the world’s political spectrum. The social psychology of intergroup conflicts helps to establish a framework around how this phenomenon emerges. In my December blog post, “On Tribalism—It May or May Not Be What You Think<https://presidentsblog.baruch.cuny.edu/on-tribalism-it-may-or-may-not-be-what-you-think/>,” I explore our human tendency to identify strongly with a group and prioritize the interests of that group over the interests of others. Is this how we humans are wired? Maybe, but human beings have demonstrated, time and again, that we are much more than that. I invite you to join this timely conversation—comment, subscribe, and sign up for blog notifications. I look forward to hearing from you and happy holidays. Sincerely, S. David Wu President, Baruch College [cid:image002.jpg@01D875A0.6C0B32C0] <> If you wish to unsubscribe from the BARUCH-STUDENTS-ANNOUNCEMENTS List, please send an E-mail to: "[log in to unmask]". Within the body of the text, only write the following: "SIGNOFF BARUCH-STUDENTS-ANNOUNCEMENTS".