Journal 7: In My Tribe

One of the big myths in our country is that Americans are all one and the same, that distinct characteristics, such as race and class, do not matter because we all strive to be like one another. In reality, we are separated by any number of distinctions, either intentionally or not. For example, the way we dress, how educated we are, how we eat, and the color of our skin, all impact who we identify with and how we are ourselves identified. Thus, we are as much a nation of rednecks, Muslims, hipsters, Tea Partiers, vegans, Twi-hards, and Native Americans, as we are anything else. Each of us has a group, maybe even more than one, that we most identify with. And we sometimes congregate into these groups almost as if they were tribes. What is your tribe? Who are the people you most associate with? Why do you feel comfortable What are the characteristics that bind your tribe? Describe who you consider to be "your" people.

Include at least one of the following pieces in your discussion:

• "Tribalism Drove the 2010 Results" (The Hill)
• "Is Healthy Food a Status Symbol?" (Strollerderby)
• "Stuff White People Like: An Interview with Blogger and Humorist Christian Lander" (Culture Mob)
• "Atheist Advertising—or Evangelizing? The Holiday Ad Blitz Starts Early" (Politics Daily)
  

Due: Thursday, Dec. 2nd