15 April 2010

Group identity

Simple thought experiment about group association:

  1. I believe X
  2. Group Y also believes X
  3. I agree with Y and now consider myself a Y
  4. Y, being made of individuals, changes over time
  5. Group Y no longer believes exactly X

At this point, the individual can either (1) realize that individuals change, group membership changes, and group median identity changes, or (2) insist that the group "lost its way" (from an idealized past) or that they aren't a valid representation of the beliefs (its members being no true Scotsman).

[ posted by sstrader on 15 April 2010 at 10:10:28 AM in Culture & Society ]