Tribe: On Homecoming and Belonging

by Sebastian Junger

Book Overview

We have a strong instinct to belong to small groups defined by clear purpose and understanding--"tribes." This tribal connection has been largely lost in modern society, but regaining it may be the key to our psychological survival.

Decades before the American Revolution, Benjamin Franklin lamented that English settlers were constantly fleeing over to the Indians-but Indians almost never did the same. Tribal society has been exerting an almost gravitational pull on Westerners for hundreds of years, and the reason lies deep in our evolutionary past as a communal species. The most recent example of that attraction is combat veterans who come home to find themselves missing the incredibly intimate bonds of platoon life. The loss of closeness that comes at the end of deployment may explain the high rates of post-traumatic stress disorder suffered by military veterans today.

Combining history, psychology, and anthropology, Tribe explores what we can learn from tribal societies about loyalty, belonging, and the eternal human quest for meaning. It explains the irony that-for many veterans as well as civilians-war feels better than peace, adversity can turn out to be a blessing, and disasters are sometimes remembered more fondly than weddings or tropical vacations. Tribe explains why we are stronger when we come together, and how that can be achieved even in today's divided world.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1455566381
• ISBN13: 9781455566389
• Release Date: May 2016
• Publisher: Twelve
• Length: 192 Pages
• Weight: 0.62 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.4" x 7.8"

Customer Reviews

One of my favorite books I've ever read and rekindled my lost love of reading

Although it largely focuses on PTSD and the difficulty of reassimilating into a society that has largely forgotten you, the section i found most intriguing was towards the beginning when Junger discusses the intriguing and strange relationship between escaped or captured north american colonists who would occasionally refuse to return to European settlements even when freed by the indigenous captors, whereas the indigenous folks who were captured by the colonists almost never remained. I found that quite interesting as it speaks to the nature (or anti-nature) of western society as a whole. If you're considering this book, do yourself a favor and pick it up or check it out from your library.

Thought Provoking

I bought Sebastian Junger’s Tribe originally for a book report, and honestly picked it because it was the shortest one on the list as I prefer fiction. However, I truly enjoyed this book. The material was thought provoking, truly making me think just how far we have gone from the tribal way of life and into a micromanaged, sterile environment that suffocates us in many ways. The opinions based on experiences Junger conveys were not things that I have pondered before, but now I truly see how beneficial tribal life is.

An Attention Catcher

A fun, short read about many studies & examples of human beings gregarious nature. Particularly lots of studies regarding military personnel coming home from war. This is almost an extended study/article. Definitely worth a read.

To say that this book is about the trials that soldiers endure coming home from war is like saying M

Early hominid Behavior, co-sleeping, The Wretched state of hospital inpatient care, the history of what we now call post-traumatic stress disorder, and the care and nurturing of those we love, and even those we have only just met or we'll meet and why that care is so important to a much wider world, these are seemingly unrelated topics that bring together a very important message. That is, we are all in the same tribe and need to care deeply and unstintingly for each other, or the state of the world will continue to deteriorate. Please read it.