Context & adaptive group change sensitivities

 One of the advantages evolutionary theory adds to the social sciences is an explanation about our sensitivities to rates of change. Adaptive groups have a number of factors people have genetic sensitivities toward. While these aren't well characterized (ie we don't know what the exact functional variables are nor their degree nor their weights, nor how any of these change when one of them changes), we do suspect that things like the following matter:

• adaptive group benefits vs group membership costs
• costly commitment displays
• norm detection
• freeloader punishment
• usurper minimizations
• etc.  (see Scott Atran in God's We Trust for one angle into this and D.S. Wilson's Darwin's Cathedral for another. The identity fusion literature also has another angle. Atran has gone there in recent years.)

One of the things that affect all these calculations is direction & momentum.  We're very sensitive to adaptive group change - especially when group membership is very costly (and hence very rewarding in order to stay adaptive).  I think that's what we're seeing on both sides of the political aisle right now. 

Covid lock downs have hugely changed the context, direction and momentum. Ambivalent lock downer's often neglect this, to society's huge detriment.

The establishment can therefore be excused for its worries about revolutionary violence. For instance, they seem to be freaking out over a homeless camp fire while conveniently ignoring violent 2016 riots.

The reason one could argue is

• the anti-Trump riots were more about keeping the establishment protected,
• current election fraud diatribes show a longer trend toward populism, which creates the potential for usurpation.

It's easy to think the establishment is just one-sidedly hypocritical. And, I tend to agree with that assessment. But there are some very rational reasons why things are one sided. Unfortunately they tend to imply some rather unflattering things about the people supporting them.  I'm reminded of the Box Troll's quote by the two henchmen..."wait a minute, you don't think we're the evil henchman instead of the loyal heroes do you...?"