We look after our own. Racists do it. Revolutionaries do it. So do faiths and families, secret societies and stokvels, corporations and co-ops.We‘ve always done it; looked after the members of our tribe. Because that‘s what we are.We can pretend that we aren‘t, and convince ourselves that we are modern individuals freewheeling through an impersonal urban landscape. But that‘s not really true, because that landscape is criss-crossed with a thousand invisible fences, each demarcating the territory of another tribe.Some of the fences are barbed: race, language and politics can be impossible to get past. Religion, too, can be dicey: those who belong and those who don‘t are often kept apart like sheep from goats.Other fences are gentler. Some tribes are held together by love or by the subtle bonds of friendship. Some just like discussing books or having a drink together.But even these more tender boundaries can be inflexible. You are the friend I go to with my problems, or you are not. Y...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.