This book (scheduled for publication in 2027 and featuring cartoons!) describes the nature and genesis of human dominance hierarchies, and what it means for us today. A major thesis of the book is that the divisive polarization around the globe, and particularly in the United States, is in large part a battle between competing modes of dominance.
Among most species, might makes right—the law of the jungle. But as societies coalesced, humankind transitioned to the rule of men—the strongest, most ruthless, and cleverest. The Enlightenment, which championed bright makes right, helped usher in the rule of law.
But there’s a problem: Suppose you don’t happen to be all that bright? Not really great at interpreting the fine print. Then further suppose that you happen to be brawny and strong, a good fighter. Or, if you’re a female who isn’t herself brawny and strong, that your womanly attributes guide you to be a mother and a homemaker, and, as Tammy Wynette might put it, stand by your man? Which arrangement might you then prefer? Rule by educated elites, or by less smart but rugged traditionalists?
The fundamental reality is that we favor a dominance hierarchy that favors us. Strongmen and their kin do better when they exploit the law of the jungle or the rule of men. Intellectual and empathetic types strive to enculturate the rule of law. That dichotomy is today’s political bottom line.
