> "From my tutor, [I learned] to be neither of the Greens nor the Blues, the Parmularius nor the Scutarius; to bear hard work and have few needs; to do my own work and mind my own affairs; also — have nothing to do with gossip."
That's Marcus Aurelius in the ”Meditations" talking about supporting teams at the chariot races and gladiator fights. It seems very human to get all tribal about something subjective and inconsequential. Ancient Rome had the same fanboyism, just in a different arena.
(I have a phone that just runs Alpine Linux, but I know better than to try and tell anyone about it.)
During a conflict, that mindset requires a large quote of power to be exercised. If you don't belong to a tribe, you will be declared an enemy. Picking no tribe doesn't make you "neutral" It makes you everybody's enemy.
> People going out of their way to declare (or at least make clear with varying degrees of intensity) just exactly which feudal overlord they're ready to "bleed for"
What about people who hate their overlord?
> (I have a phone that just runs Alpine Linux, but I know better than to try and tell anyone about it.)
That's Marcus Aurelius in the ”Meditations" talking about supporting teams at the chariot races and gladiator fights. It seems very human to get all tribal about something subjective and inconsequential. Ancient Rome had the same fanboyism, just in a different arena.
(I have a phone that just runs Alpine Linux, but I know better than to try and tell anyone about it.)