Conflicting drives --- I agree, André! Many people put allegiance first, often on the grounds of arbitrary group membership (such as Boris Johnson's messy hair making him a man of the people!).

The strong bias in education for objectivity and reasoned argument is not necessarily what motivates us all, at all times. Nor is it the case that when we feel driven by allegiance that we have 'lapsed' or 'fallen short' in reason. We have just opted for the more important driver to us at that time.

Source author: Biljana Scott biscott@diplomacy.edu