Groupthink isn’t a new concept in this world. The idea of Tribalism is arguably as old as mankind itself and is the reason for which man has become the top species on Earth. The idea of Tribalism has been the root to men bettering themselves in action, words, and deeds by instilling honor into their lives by adhering to the code of the group. The idea of Tribalism is what naturally occurs when like-minded individuals unite to become better members of society, better members of their community and better men in general. When there is a weakness, a group makes an attempt to build upon those impairments to raise up their weakest link. If there is uncertainty, the unified minds of the Tribe will work together to bring resolution and clarity. When there is dishonor among the ranks, the Tribe will ensure that shame is felt by the oppressor until they recompense for the crime; the crimes may not be against what the world has deemed law, but it is an offense against the core beliefs of the group. This concept was the glue which bonded social dynamics for thousands of years but was lost in the civil class of society, phasing out as mankind itself became more civil. The death of Tribalism definitively destroyed the entire concept of manliness, leaving frail and empty vessels to take their place. If there is no resurgence of Tribalism in this world, then it is destined for the virtues of manhood to continue to unfurl.
Men have provided one another with protection since Neanderthals first explored the Earth, providing comfort and peace of mind for all those within the group. Such a quality was necessary in the early days of human existence, for the world seemed to desire nothing more than to extinguish the life from the individual. As the centuries began to pass and societies began to develop, men created their own brotherhoods to build upon the tactical virtues which kept their ancestors alive, protecting us from them. By such a philosophy, men created civilizations whose achievements are echoed into the world today. By the brotherhood of the philosophers of Greece, the concept of Democracy was established. By the brotherhood of Rome, the world reached a technological height in both Engineering and Warfare unlike any the world had ever known. By the wisdom of the brotherhood of the colonies, the Second Continental Congress established the United States of America. Throughout the years, humanity has benefited by men who have unified under one banner to solidify their legacy and build up a place in history that is all their own.
No matter how wise men are in their social group, no action can be achieved without a significant amount of strength behind their actions. In primitive times, man required physical strength to conquer the elements and to kill animals for food. In later years, a man required strength to maintain his crops and his household. In the halls of the political and philosophical world, a man required educational and mental strength in order to navigate the rules and strategies of shadow warfare. In the modern age, man has descended from his once high pillar of strength into the pits of mediocrity, both mentally and physically. His brain once wafts with intellectualism has now become an empty cavern, his body encased in layers of fat, his heart vacant of passion. The men of old would be ashamed to know that their descendants, those who they have chiseled out a place in the world for them, have become complacent in their ways, have become complacent in their thoughts and have become complacent in their search for a meaning greater than themselves. Without having others to keep them accountable, men have allowed the world to shape them, not the other way around. Man must have to mean for what he does, or he will doom himself, he will doom his family and he will doom all those who look upon him with admiration.
When a man searches his soul for meaning, he will never find what he is looking for without counselors to hold the mirror in front of him and reveal what he truly is on the outside. By doing so, man is liberated from his fallacy of who he is and begins to transform into what he could be. This man, along with his tribe, will begin to work on his flaws, enhance his strengths, build a bond deeper than blood and will force all those within their group to be better because of the standard required to be a part of the tribe. If he succeeds, he will be praised for the work of his hands, moving him from the realm of idleness and into the heights of self-transcendence, liberating himself and allowing others to be liberated by the fire burning within him. By working with a group of men who united under one banner, he does not have to rely solely on his own judgment. Rather, he has at his disposal the will, the discipline and the insight of all those which he surrounds himself with.
Some men believe that they can reach their ideal of what a man can be and they can stop their advancement of the self. Some believe that one he meets some sort of standard, either set by himself or by another, then he is the epitome of what a man must be and needs not continue with the process of self-advancement. Some even believe that they will be automatically better and greater than all other men which have not achieved these milestones. This cannot be further from the truth, for he has not learned the greatest test of manliness: he must strive to build upon himself, always! He who is the ideal man understands that becoming a paragon of manhood requires a life-long dedication, life-long devotion and life-long discipline in order to become who he desires to be. He will strive for excellence, and will not be deluded into believing that he has achieved it.
In the end, man cannot begin this journey on his own. Every man who has ever become great has done so by the aid of others who allowed him to pull away from trivial pursuits and focus his mind upon those actions which will allow him to be successful. In the end, lone wolves will be swallowed by the world around them, no matter how hard they attempt to fight against the raging tides. One man alone doesn’t have the strength necessary to tackle the struggles of life. However, when it comes to the will of a group, all fighting for one goal, the world will be forced to bend around their sigil, and the gangs of men will restart the world.