We are living in the middle of a clash of paradigms—a tug-of-war between ideologies. Most people don't see it because it's been going on for so long. Learning to handle this conflict is a necessary skill in our modern world. When different worldviews try to influence the culture, it can create a conflict. This clash can fracture the culture into several opposing groups. Depending upon their incompatibility, the dispute can cause acts of violence, even genocide. What is a Paradigm or Worldview? A paradigm is another word for a worldview. It is a filter containing our beliefs and values through which we view the world. Everyone has one. It's the framework that provides structure to our thinking, but in doing so, it creates boundaries. Our paradigm places values on thoughts and beliefs. It acts much like colored glass, coloring everything and establishing what we believe is right and wrong. This judgment is often subconscious, so we aren't aware of its operation. This filter gets most of its programming from our cultural narrative and is often supported by family and peers. The elements of a worldview are on a continuum. On one end of the continuum is an inclusive or universal worldview. At the other end is the biased tribal worldview. Let's look more closely at these two points of view. What is A Tribal Worldview A tribal mindset or worldview is about the attributes chosen by a group to differentiate themselves from others. They select and promote beliefs to distinguish themselves from others. The central point of a tribal mindset is separation and segregation, not inclusion. It often uses such characteristics as religious belief, race, or ethnicity. If you are in the tribe, you have a sense of belonging. If you are not a member of the tribe, you are an enemy. It is the social effect of the tribal mentality. The tribe dictates values and religious beliefs that promote the preferential treatment of those in the group. This exclusionary philosophy promotes bias and prejudice. What is interesting is that most indigenous cultures exhibit the traits of an inclusive worldview, not a tribal paradigm. They are more accepting of people with diverse backgrounds and ideas. On the whole, they do much better than the religions which dominate modern culture. The faiths of the Abrahamic tree dominate most of the modern culture. (1) The three main branches of the Abrahamic tree include Judaism, Islam, and Christianity. Read the full article
