No One Ever Told Us That: Money and Life Lessons for Young Adults

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

TRIBES

We are still a tribal nation, despite more than 235 years as an independent country. I live in Boston, a distinctly tribal town. The tribes mostly hover together, with crossover on the business front. But socially, the tribes still trust their own more than they do the other tribes. A small asterisk for you readers of different cities in America. Boston is really all about three things: sports, politics, and revenge. Newcomers are very surprised by this, particularly the revenge side. I tell them, “Okay, we're at a cocktail party, all Boston people. See those two guys over there? They hate those other two guys near the bar. From the sixth grade on. They wish each other ill and they harbor grudges. It's what makes Boston so interesting.”

No matter how gregarious and friendly you are, no matter how sensitive and inclusive you feel, it is natural to be most comfortable within your own tribe. Tribes can break down a bit beyond ethnicity. Hollywood people seem to be comfy only around other people in show business. Really rich, successful people are happiest around others who have also reached a certain status. They need to validate each other. It's all a dance.

I wander into this area of tribalism so that you won't be surprised if you are hired by a company where you look around and find yourself confused after you've worked there for a while. There are companies that favor people who grew up in the Bronx or went to Penn State or Texas A&M. There are organizations ...