Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
- n. A group of people excluded from or not belonging to one's own group, especially when viewed as subordinate or contemptibly different.
Etymologies
Sorry, no etymologies found.
Examples
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We should be working hard to defy our impulse toward out-group hostility.
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But the more relevant argument is that religion promotes out-group mentality in an age of interdependence when we can't afford to surrender to ancient instincts.
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But the out-group hostility element of tribalism is no longer adaptive in the modern, complex form of civilization we have created.
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And on the flip-side, we are distinctly suspicious of out-group members.
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The out-group feature of religion is uniquely problematic: faith separates people in a deep, fundamental way.
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Religion not only promotes difference, it makes divisions impossible to eliminate, so between-group co-operation is discouraged and out-group hostility is fueled.
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The benefit of out-group hostility has not only expired, but is now severely detrimental to our well-being both as individuals and as a species.
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While religion promotes the in-group, prosocial side of tribalism, it also fosters the out-group, anti-social side.
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Finally, even if it is acknowledged that there are circumstances under which religiously sacred beliefs do promote greater social cohesion, such as that to be found within the Islamic theocracies which spawned Al-Qaeda and Hezbollah, the existence of religiously-driven social cohesion seems to promote a vicious in-group/out-group mentality which leads to inter-group conflict.
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We developed strong in-group and out-group instincts, and for many aspects of behavior we still have such feelings.
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