--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The human heart tends toward tribalism…" description: "\"The human heart tends toward tribalism before tolerance. We can go back to that world. It still lives in all of us. Fighting it is the challenge, parti..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a3/ben-domenech-4128_fighting_the-human-heart-tends-toward-tribalism-b_1626824.jpg" --- # The human heart tends toward tribalism before tolerance… ![“The human heart tends toward tribalism before tolerance. We can go back to that world. It still lives in all of us. Fighting it is the challenge, particularly at a time when the most audacious thing you can do is show some grace.” quote by Ben Domenech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a3/ben-domenech-4128_fighting_the-human-heart-tends-toward-tribalism-b_1626824.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a3/ben-domenech-4128_fighting_the-human-heart-tends-toward-tribalism-b_1626824.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a3/ben-domenech-4128_fighting_the-human-heart-tends-toward-tribalism-b_1626824.jpg) > “The human heart tends toward tribalism before tolerance. We can go back to that world. It still lives in all of us. Fighting it is the challenge, particularly at a time when the most audacious thing you can do is show some grace.” [Ben Domenech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-domenech/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Humans naturally form groups and favor their own, making tolerance difficult; confronting this bias requires deliberate grace, especially now. **In simple terms:** People naturally favor their own groups; overcoming this needs grace. Key Takeaway Practice empathy and grace to counter tribal instincts. Themes tribalism empathy social psychology conflict resolution Mood reflective hopeful challenging Type ethical inspirational When to use this quote - political discourse - workplace teamwork - community building - online interactions Key Concepts in-group bias social identity moral courage Questions to Reflect On - How can you demonstrate grace in a polarized conversation? - What habits reinforce tribal thinking? A Different Perspective Tribal instincts are deep‑rooted and can resist change without sustained effort. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fighting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fighting/) [Grace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grace/) [Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) [Human heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-heart/) [Tends Tribalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tends-tribalism-346220/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Tolerance World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tolerance-world-346221/) [Tribalism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tribalism/) [Tribalism Tolerance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tribalism-tolerance-346219/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [The only tolerance in the world, the only tolerance that earns the name, is that toward intolerance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-paul/the-only-tolerance-in-the-world-the-only-tolerance-that-earns-the/) [Louis Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-paul/) > [Unilateral tolerance in a world of intolerance is like unilateral disarmament in a world of armed camps: it regards hope as a better basis…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-daniels/unilateral-tolerance-in-a-world-of-intolerance-is-like-unilateral/) [Anthony Daniels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-daniels/) > [Without tolerance, our world turns into hell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-d-rrenmatt/without-tolerance-our-world-turns-into-hell/) [Friedrich Durrenmatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-d-rrenmatt/) > [For me, tribalism and religion are basically the big reasons we're in trouble. Patriotism, tribalism, and religion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-a-romero/for-me-tribalism-and-religion-are-basically-the-big-reasons-we-re-in/) [George A. Romero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-a-romero/) > [“Perhaps the most powerful cause of the breakdown of the closed society was the development of sea-communications and commerce. Close contact with other tribes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/perhaps-the-most-powerful-cause-of-the-breakdown-of-the-closed/) [Karl Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-popper/) > [“Tribalism was an irrational position, and it was impossible to defeat an irrational position with a rational argument.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-a-corey/tribalism-was-an-irrational-position-and-it-was-impossible-to-defeat/) [James S.A. Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-a-corey/) > [The fact that so many people choose to live in ways that narrow the community of fate to a very limited set of others…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-levi/the-fact-that-so-many-people-choose-to-live-in-ways-that-narrow-the/) [Margaret Levi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-levi/) > [“We've evolved from the jungle, violence is in our DNA. That's not up for debate, it's a biological fact. Question is, will we continue…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/we-ve-evolved-from-the-jungle-violence-is-in-our-dna-that-s-not-up/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [“The only part of the world where tribalism was fully superseded by more voluntary and individualistic forms of social relationship was Europe, where Christianity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-fukuyama/the-only-part-of-the-world-where-tribalism-was-fully-superseded-by/) [Francis Fukuyama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-fukuyama/) > [“Illegal Immigrant in every state, for I come from a Time beyond tribes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/illegal-immigrant-in-every-state-for-i-come-from-a-time-beyond-tribes/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [“The psychological components of war have not gone away—dominance, vengeance, callousness, tribalism, groupthink, self-deception”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/the-psychological-components-of-war-have-not-gone-away-dominance/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) > [“Naskar is not linear, Naskar is not binary, remember that, before you start analyzing Naskar with your two little backwater, linear, binary brain cells.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/naskar-is-not-linear-naskar-is-not-binary-remember-that-before-you/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [“Kenya DOES NOT belong to 2 tribes only. Kenya has 42 tribes. to say that the decision of 2 tribes is the decision of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akuku-mach-pep/kenya-does-not-belong-to-2-tribes-only-kenya-has-42-tribes-to-say/) [Akuku Mach Pep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akuku-mach-pep/) > [I'm a military man, I did what I did only because my country had to be saved from tribalism and feudalism. If I failed,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mengistu-haile-mariam/i-m-a-military-man-i-did-what-i-did-only-because-my-country-had-to-be/) [Mengistu Haile Mariam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mengistu-haile-mariam/) > [“More I try to straighten my life, more I'm overcome with the paradox I am. Once the sea attains its vastness, it is impossible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/more-i-try-to-straighten-my-life-more-i-m-overcome-with-the-paradox-i/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) ## More by Ben Domenech > [In a healthy republic, there is a need for figures who understand that the presidency is not the be-all and end-all of the people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-domenech/in-a-healthy-republic-there-is-a-need-for-figures-who-understand-that/) [Ben Domenech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-domenech/) > [Much of the media failed to anticipate the potential Trump represented as a disruptive populist force, understand why his supporters trusted him, or offer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-domenech/much-of-the-media-failed-to-anticipate-the-potential-trump/) [Ben Domenech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-domenech/) > [Engaging in a sycophantic way with any politician in the short term is tempting. It offers the lure of access and the promise of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-domenech/engaging-in-a-sycophantic-way-with-any-politician-in-the-short-term/) [Ben Domenech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-domenech/) > [When Barack Obama arrived in Washington, many in the media welcomed him with optimism as a historic figure focused on progressive change. But their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-domenech/when-barack-obama-arrived-in-washington-many-in-the-media-welcomed/) [Ben Domenech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-domenech/) > [I think what it really means is a recognition that Donald Trump has the potential to take over the Republican Party and change it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-domenech/i-think-what-it-really-means-is-a-recognition-that-donald-trump-has/) [Ben Domenech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-domenech/) > [Gawker thrived on embarrassment and shame, seeking to demolish not just celebrities or politicians but average random people whose sins it would expose for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-domenech/gawker-thrived-on-embarrassment-and-shame-seeking-to-demolish-not/) [Ben Domenech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-domenech/) > [And for those of us who have, you know, looked in sort of the established order of the political fray over the course of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-domenech/and-for-those-of-us-who-have-you-know-looked-in-sort-of-the/) [Ben Domenech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-domenech/) > [It used to be you could just write vaguely conservative things while running a Starbucks - now, you can't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-domenech/it-used-to-be-you-could-just-write-vaguely-conservative-things-while/) [Ben Domenech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-domenech/) > [It is unhealthy to live in an environment where every aspect of our culture requires a great sort, where creative talents are for some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-domenech/it-is-unhealthy-to-live-in-an-environment-where-every-aspect-of-our/) [Ben Domenech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-domenech/) > [Writers who do great work must be coddled and encouraged.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-domenech/writers-who-do-great-work-must-be-coddled-and-encouraged/) [Ben Domenech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-domenech/) > [I will not apologize ever, for any reason, for publishing the views of people who don't make a living in politics about why they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-domenech/i-will-not-apologize-ever-for-any-reason-for-publishing-the-views-of/) [Ben Domenech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-domenech/) > [The first time I watched 'The Magnificent Seven' on TV on a Sunday afternoon, I knew it was going to be a different kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-domenech/the-first-time-i-watched-the-magnificent-seven-on-tv-on-a-sunday/) [Ben Domenech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-domenech/) > [The government in Havana is best understood as a cross between violent left-wing radicals and organized crime.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-domenech/the-government-in-havana-is-best-understood-as-a-cross-between/) [Ben Domenech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-domenech/) > [We all consume Netflix and other streaming services in different ways. Sometimes, it's a movie you're really going to focus on; other times, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-domenech/we-all-consume-netflix-and-other-streaming-services-in-different-ways/) [Ben Domenech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-domenech/) > [When I was much younger, my siblings and I would routinely tune in to watch 'Bill Nye the Science Guy' on PBS. He was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-domenech/when-i-was-much-younger-my-siblings-and-i-would-routinely-tune-in-to/) [Ben Domenech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-domenech/) [Explore all 115 Ben Domenech quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-domenech/) ## More Fighting quotes > [I was 3-years-old - to this day it is a vivid memory. My family and I were on a boat, catching fish. As one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joaquin-phoenix/i-was-3-years-old-to-this-day-it-is-a-vivid-memory-my-family-and-i/) [Joaquin Phoenix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joaquin-phoenix/) > [“I bet she thought she was getting into a fight with a vanilla wafer on roller skates but little did she know she was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-portes/i-bet-she-thought-she-was-getting-into-a-fight-with-a-vanilla-wafer/) [Andrea Portes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-portes/) > [Women still, when they have breast cancer, go to work; they still lead their lives. They have to. I just did what I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-potter/women-still-when-they-have-breast-cancer-go-to-work-they-still-lead/) [Monica Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-potter/) > [We could form a government of national unity fighting corruption. The ordinary Afghan is sick and tired of it, because it's she or he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashraf-ghani/we-could-form-a-government-of-national-unity-fighting-corruption-the/) [Ashraf Ghani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashraf-ghani/) > [In the fight between biology and morality, biology has commonly won in the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/semir-zeki/in-the-fight-between-biology-and-morality-biology-has-commonly-won-in/) [Semir Zeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/semir-zeki/) > [You have to fight gravity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwin-wine/you-have-to-fight-gravity/) [Sherwin Wine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwin-wine/) > [Television, radio, social media. The 24/7 news cycle plows forward mercilessly on our desks, in our cars and in our pockets. Thousands and thousands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-prince/television-radio-social-media-the-24-7-news-cycle-plows-forward/) [Joseph Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-prince/) > [The only regret I have in my career, is my managers wanted a big payday, and I wanted four or five more fights before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerry-cooney/the-only-regret-i-have-in-my-career-is-my-managers-wanted-a-big/) [Gerry Cooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerry-cooney/) > [Women rule the world. It's not really worth fighting because they know what they're doing. Ask Napoleon. Ask Adam. Ask Richard Burton or Richie…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-bon-jovi/women-rule-the-world-it-s-not-really-worth-fighting-because-they-know/) [Jon Bon Jovi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-bon-jovi/) > [Well, He had known what love was-a sharp pang, a fierce experience, in the midst of whose flames he was struggling! but, through that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gaskell/well-he-had-known-what-love-was-a-sharp-pang-a-fierce-experience-in/) [Elizabeth Gaskell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gaskell/) > [It is sort of interesting that in our society this days we are very quick to apply the term 'war' to places where thare…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-schneier/it-is-sort-of-interesting-that-in-our-society-this-days-we-are-very/) [Bruce Schneier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-schneier/) > [Someone else who liked what I did might turn around and say, "She's reworking and rethinking everything. She could just be making blankets now,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracey-emin/someone-else-who-liked-what-i-did-might-turn-around-and-say-she-s/) [Tracey Emin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracey-emin/) > [Life is a battle of wits, and many people have to fight it unarmed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-esar/life-is-a-battle-of-wits-and-many-people-have-to-fight-it-unarmed/) [Evan Esar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-esar/) > [The devil has been defeated, stop trying to defeat him. What we have left is the fight of faith, and it's a good fight!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-oyakhilome/the-devil-has-been-defeated-stop-trying-to-defeat-him-what-we-have/) [Chris Oyakhilome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-oyakhilome/) > [There comes a time when you're losing a fight that it just doesn't make sense to keep on fighting. It's not that you're being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-paul-curtis/there-comes-a-time-when-you-re-losing-a-fight-that-it-just-doesn-t/) [Christopher Paul Curtis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-paul-curtis/) [Browse all 13,685 Fighting quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fighting/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The human heart tends toward tribalism before tolerance. We can go back to that world. It still lives in all of us. Fighting it is the challenge, particularly at a time when the most audacious thing you can do is show some grace.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ben Domenech" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-domenech/the-human-heart-tends-toward-tribalism-before-tolerance-we-can-go/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Fighting" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-domenech/the-human-heart-tends-toward-tribalism-before-tolerance-we-can-go/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a3/ben-domenech-4128_fighting_the-human-heart-tends-toward-tribalism-b_1626824.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a3/ben-domenech-4128_fighting_the-human-heart-tends-toward-tribalism-b_1626824.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a3/ben-domenech-4128_fighting_the-human-heart-tends-toward-tribalism-b_1626824.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The human heart tends toward tribalism before tolerance. We can go back to that world. It still lives in all…” — Ben Domenech", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Ben Domenech", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-domenech/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The human heart tends toward tribalism...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-domenech/the-human-heart-tends-toward-tribalism-before-tolerance-we-can-go/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-domenech/the-human-heart-tends-toward-tribalism-before-tolerance-we-can-go/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```