Who is 'us'?

This post is meant to be faintly sardonic and humorous, indicating the many and varied implicit answers to the question exhibited through revealed choices across the social spectrum worldwide.

Personally I'm most inclined to option 10. But I don't want to fall into complete relativism. I won't convince anyone in this post but I do have a methodological view, which is always to start on these questions from sociobiology.

For almost all species, the answer to the question "who is us?" is "kin".

In a species which practises reciprocal altruism, the answer is "family and friends".

In that uniquely ultra-social species which is humanity, the answer is: the toleration of unrelated individuals who:

(i) don't threaten the essential interests of family and friends (item 10);

(ii) contribute through their structured and disciplined activities to a level of civilisation (= an enhanced environment) which enhances the survival and flourishing of your family and friends (item 9).

Most of the other items either reflect survival strategies in situations of social instability (5-8) or are parochial and egregious generalisations based upon ideological/material drivers which represent the interests of privileged social groups (1-4).

If I had one wish, it would be for a non-ideological sociology based, as E. O. Wilson wished, on sociobiology.

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Question 1: who is 'us'

1. Those who are prosocial, compassionate and tolerant
2. Those who are the oppressed of the world
3. All life in the universe/galaxy/solar system/planet Earth
4. All of humanity across the world
5. Those in my religious community
6. Those who share my ethnicity
7. My fellow members of the rich and powerful elite
8. Those who live in my country
9. Those who are civilized and productive
10. People who will leave me alone.

One option only to be chosen.

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Question 2

Match answers to Question 1 with the following tribes and class-fractions.

1. Liberals
2. Social-Justice Warriors
3. Buddhists/Jains
4. Communists/Socialists/Humanists
5. People of the Book
6. X-Power advocates for values of X
7. Rich and powerful elites
8. Nationalists
9. Conservatives
10. Libertarians.

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