Sons of Anarchy - tribalism and other thoughts

[Joelist]

Since I inadvertently threadjacked the Superbug thread I thought it would be good to start a thread specifically on Sons of Anarchy thoughts including why it was a microcosm of modern tribalism.

To start, best define tribalism: Per the Oxford Dictionary it is - The state or fact of being organized in a tribe or tribes, and behaviour and attitudes that stem from strong loyalty to one’s own tribe or social group. Not the best definition but enough to work from.

So how does this play out in Sons of Anarchy?

SOA at its core is the story of a very close knit Outlaw Motorcycle Club. The club is characterized by its members being VERY loyal to it. They treat other full members like actual brothers, and their women (once they graduate to being an "old lady") are both fiercely protected and wield a good amount of authority inside the club themselves.

Note this already shows tribal characteristics. The first loyalty is to the group.

Another tribal like characteristic is the entire concept of "prospecting" and "full patch". A Prospect becomes one by vote of the full members, and for their prospecting period they are under evaluation. They do the menial work a lot and get tested a lot, but at one level they are part of the tribe because the club is loyal to its prospects.

Eventually the club will decide whether a Prospect is worthy of receiving the full patch. Again it is by vote, and when the vote happens the Prospect is informed that they are now a "brother", receive their patch and (at least in the case of SAMCRO) it seems most of them get one or more tattoos that show the same imagery as the patch.

This parallels the processes tribes throughout history used to vet and add new members.

I'll probably add more thoughts in a bit. What are your thoughts?

 

[Joelist]

Some additional elements pertaining to this particular MC as depicted in the show:

First, they are territorial. Their home base is the town of Charming, CA. And in that town they have rules - they do not do violent gang stuff in the town, they don't permit the sale of drugs by anyone in the town or anyone to come in and commit violent crimes. There is a definite vigilante element here, as shown in one of the episodes where a rape was committed in the town. Basically a criminal in these situations had better hope the police finds them before SAMCRO does.

The idea of rules even extends to killings - the full members have to vote on killing anyone and a unanimous vote is required to kill a member for disciplinary reasons. In fact, the first crack in their world happens when Clay (President at the start of the show) decides to have another member (Opie) killed because he thinks Opie has turned police informant. Clay does not "put it to the jury" but instead orders up a bungled attempted hit that results in a tragedy.

Part of the show's storyline is in essence the fall and then rebirth of the tribe, with the fall coming about over time as they stop obeying their own laws consistently and the rebirth being at the very end when Jax comes to his senses and works to give the MC a way to go forward from all the lies and other stuff.

 

[Overmind One]

Since I inadvertently threadjacked the Superbug thread I thought it would be good to start a thread specifically on Sons of Anarchy thoughts including why it was a microcosm of modern tribalism.

To start, best define tribalism: Per the Oxford Dictionary it is - The state or fact of being organized in a tribe or tribes, and behaviour and attitudes that stem from strong loyalty to one’s own tribe or social group. Not the best definition but enough to work from.

So how does this play out in Sons of Anarchy?

SOA at its core is the story of a very close knit Outlaw Motorcycle Club. The club is characterized by its members being VERY loyal to it. They treat other full members like actual brothers, and their women (once they graduate to being an "old lady") are both fiercely protected and wield a good amount of authority inside the club themselves.

Note this already shows tribal characteristics. The first loyalty is to the group.

Another tribal like characteristic is the entire concept of "prospecting" and "full patch". A Prospect becomes one by vote of the full members, and for their prospecting period they are under evaluation. They do the menial work a lot and get tested a lot, but at one level they are part of the tribe because the club is loyal to its prospects.

Eventually the club will decide whether a Prospect is worthy of receiving the full patch. Again it is by vote, and when the vote happens the Prospect is informed that they are now a "brother", receive their patch and (at least in the case of SAMCRO) it seems most of them get one or more tattoos that show the same imagery as the patch.

This parallels the processes tribes throughout history used to vet and add new members.

I'll probably add more thoughts in a bit. What are your thoughts?

Well, you definitely have the tribalism concept down pat, and you have obviously watched this show. For me, the resistance comes from the motorcycle gang backdrop. This is a motorcycle tribe. For me, it falls into the same category as street gangs, These types of tribes exist in every major state. However the biker tribe is a very specific type of gang not found in cities. They are not racially or sexually diverse and they represent a type of tribe that does not interest me. The same holds true of street gang tribes. The street gang is in the urban high crime areas, and they too are not racially or sexually diverse. I cannot identify with any of the characters and I really don't want to.

A comparison was drawn between The Sopranos and SoA, but the two shows differ in several ways. The Sopranos were an organized crime family, which (to me) made them much more intriguing and easy to watch because they were a tribe living within the framework of regular society and interacting with regular looking people in regular surroundings. I found it easier to watch because it seemed easier to relate to IMO. Bikers cannot just walk into business offices, and neither can street gang members. Bikers, especially groups of them, are not a welcome sight in cities, and I do not like the loud sound of Harleys. So, it's a personal preference for me, and not at all one of tribal understandings. In keeping with this, I have avoided all gang themed movies like Straight Outta Compton and the like.

So, this is a case of window dressing for me. I cannot find anything appealing about a biker gang. I'm sure the writing is great because of the incredible audience ratings it had. I can't pan the show or praise it because I won't watch it, but that does not say anything at all about the show.

 

[Joelist]

Actually MCs (both Outlaw and non-Outlaw) are racially diverse. For example, the Buffalo Soldiers are a large, real life MC with chapters all over the country that is mostly African American. The Flying Dragons are an example of an Asian American club, and for Latinos a prominent real life example is the Mongols. You learn this stuff when you have a friend who rides in an MC.

In the show you see the same kind of thing, with the mostly Caucasian SAMCRO frequently allied with the Latino Mayans and the African American Grim Bastards. In fact, in the finale the Sons patch in the former President of the Grims - a move depicted as a first step to patching the whole club in.

I agree by the way that they have some similarities to a street gang. The degree of loyalty to one another however is a difference.

Remember I said I wasn't nuts about the show, principally because I do think they could have made their plot points in many cases in less graphic manner. But it has a fascination in terms of the social structure shown, and knowing a MC biker who vouched for the authenticity made it more interesting.

 

[Overmind One]

Actually MCs (both Outlaw and non-Outlaw) are racially diverse. For example, the Buffalo Soldiers are a large, real life MC with chapters all over the country that is mostly African American. The Flying Dragons are an example of an Asian American club, and for Latinos a prominent real life example is the Mongols. You learn this stuff when you have a friend who rides in an MC.

The motorcycle gangs themselves as individual gangs are not diverse, and they have very few women (SoA had some though). I just do not have a positive view towards motorcycle gangs because where I live they cause disruptions and have confrontations with law enforcement. Again, that probably has nothing to do with this show but with my personal aversions to motocycle gangs. I like motocycles, and guys like Tripler who ride for different reasons than a member of a biker gang does. The tribal honor does not appeal to me in the same way that Klingon society does not interest me in Star Trek.

In the show you see the same kind of thing, with the mostly Caucasian SAMCRO frequently allied with the Latino Mayans and the African American Grim Bastards. In fact, in the finale the Sons patch in the former President of the Grims - a move depicted as a first step to patching the whole club in.

I agree by the way that they have some similarities to a street gang. The degree of loyalty to one another however is a difference.

Remember I said I wasn't nuts about the show, principally because I do think they could have made their plot points in many cases in less graphic manner. But it has a fascination in terms of the social structure shown, and knowing a MC biker who vouched for the authenticity made it more interesting.

Perhaps some day I will check it out.

 

[Bluce Ree]

Well, you definitely have the tribalism concept down pat, and you have obviously watched this show. For me, the resistance comes from the motorcycle gang backdrop. This is a motorcycle tribe. For me, it falls into the same category as street gangs, These types of tribes exist in every major state. However the biker tribe is a very specific type of gang not found in cities. They are not racially or sexually diverse and they represent a type of tribe that does not interest me. The same holds true of street gang tribes. The street gang is in the urban high crime areas, and they too are not racially or sexually diverse. I cannot identify with any of the characters and I really don't want to.

A comparison was drawn between The Sopranos and SoA, but the two shows differ in several ways. The Sopranos were an organized crime family, which (to me) made them much more intriguing and easy to watch because they were a tribe living within the framework of regular society and interacting with regular looking people in regular surroundings. I found it easier to watch because it seemed easier to relate to IMO. Bikers cannot just walk into business offices, and neither can street gang members. Bikers, especially groups of them, are not a welcome sight in cities, and I do not like the loud sound of Harleys. So, it's a personal preference for me, and not at all one of tribal understandings. In keeping with this, I have avoided all gang themed movies like Straight Outta Compton and the like.

So, this is a case of window dressing for me. I cannot find anything appealing about a biker gang. I'm sure the writing is great because of the incredible audience ratings it had. I can't pan the show or praise it because I won't watch it, but that does not say anything at all about the show.

Bro, seriously, watch the show. You are so way off here it's embarrassing. SoA *is* an organized crime "family" and, yes, they *do* get involved in legitimate businesses. They're liked and respected in their town *because* they provide protection and participate in the community. They get along with local law enforcement *because* of the unspoken rule they have to never shit where they eat.

This isn't a show about unruly bikers. The show's premise revolves around a character named Jax whose father founded the club. He finds his father's diary and learns of his father's vision to bring the club back into legitimacy. Jax struggles with several moral dilemmas throughout his journey, growing bitter as circumstances basically force him down the wrong path.

This story loosely parallels MacBeth. It is a really well written story arc with well fleshed out characters you actually grow to like. If you don't like the bikes then, great, nobody is forcing you to watch it. But, please, stop opining on shit you haven't a clue about. It comes off idiotic and you're usually quite thorough on researching a subject before handing out opinions.

 

[Joelist]

Good points Bluce. In a way the story very loosely parallels "The Godfather" with Jax as Michael Corleone. And while the club follows its rules they do fairly well. It's when their rules start to go a bit by the wayside that things deteriorate. And the solution Jax resorts to in the finale (after he finds out Gemma murdered Tara and after he gets the mayhem recommendation from SoA over the Jury shooting) is pretty bloody it in essence was the only way he had to leave Chibs a clear pathway towards getting things back on track.

 

[Bluce Ree]

Good points Bluce. In a way the story very loosely parallels "The Godfather" with Jax as Michael Corleone. And while the club follows its rules they do fairly well. It's when their rules start to go a bit by the wayside that things deteriorate. And the solution Jax resorts to in the finale (after he finds out Gemma murdered Tara and after he gets the mayhem recommendation from SoA over the Jury shooting) is pretty bloody it in essence was the only way he had to leave Chibs a clear pathway towards getting things back on track.

It does also remind me a lot of "The Godfather". Good call.

In a sense, Jax wants out of criminal enterprise but they keep pulling him back in.

 

[Joelist]

Of course the cops need mention here, as they run the gamut. Unser for example was the one who made the original pact with the club (Outlaws live in Charming - **** stays outside the borders) and as such was both doing his duty of preserving the peace and law and order inside the town while at the same time he was a friend of the club (of course this is not including the active part he played in the plan to get rid of Agent Stahl).

Roosevelt was a pretty good cop, and Jarry in the final season wound up following more in Unser's steps when she concluded it was simply more practical to work with SAMCRO than to try to get rid of them.

Then you get ATF Agent Stahl, who in her own way was worse than Vic Mackey (the Shield). She played her character as such a piece of garbage that it actually made SAMCRO look like the good guys when they teamed up with Unser finally and moved against her. It was also a display of her not really understanding the culture; if she had she would have realized Jax was not likely to really turn rat on his MC.

 

[Joelist]

And, to be fair here I should list the elements of the show I did not care for.

First and foremost, in a LOT of places the exact same story point could have been made without graphic violence or nudity. I'm not opposed to ALL such depictions (for example the bedroom scene in the original Terminator film between Kyle Reese and Sarah Connor was needed because it was necessary in the story to make it 100% clear Kyle was the father of John Connor) but to me if it isn't necessary to advance the story then tell it in a less graphic manner. SoA seemed to be doing it almost for shock value at times.

On a more minor note, I always did wonder why Sutter decided not to have Tig's past misdeeds come back to bite him like he did for everyone else. Lest we forget, Tig was the one who both urged Clay to have Opie killed (in direct violation of the rules) and who bungled the hit and shot Opie's wife instead. To me, it made every later attempt in the story to make Tig's character more sympathetic not hit the mark. Had it fully come out and Tig undergone some type of discipline (or even better been pardoned by insistence of Opie) then the character arc would have been better.

And also under minor notes, I would have liked to had more scenes where we see Prospects being added and especially getting their patches. Unless I am wrong the only time we saw a Prospect get patched was Rat (and it was a great scene with the full members acting like they had voted Mayhem on him) - the rest of the time we just saw them in a full Kutt after a while. That said, I did like how the club posthumously patched in Half Sack when he sacrificed himself to protect Tara and Abel, and also said they had been remiss and he should have been patched in earlier.

 

[YJ02]

Since I inadvertently threadjacked the Superbug thread I thought it would be good to start a thread specifically on Sons of Anarchy thoughts including why it was a microcosm of modern tribalism.

To start, best define tribalism: Per the Oxford Dictionary it is - The state or fact of being organized in a tribe or tribes, and behaviour and attitudes that stem from strong loyalty to one’s own tribe or social group. Not the best definition but enough to work from.

So how does this play out in Sons of Anarchy?

SOA at its core is the story of a very close knit Outlaw Motorcycle Club. The club is characterized by its members being VERY loyal to it. They treat other full members like actual brothers, and their women (once they graduate to being an "old lady") are both fiercely protected and wield a good amount of authority inside the club themselves.

Note this already shows tribal characteristics. The first loyalty is to the group.

Another tribal like characteristic is the entire concept of "prospecting" and "full patch". A Prospect becomes one by vote of the full members, and for their prospecting period they are under evaluation. They do the menial work a lot and get tested a lot, but at one level they are part of the tribe because the club is loyal to its prospects.

Eventually the club will decide whether a Prospect is worthy of receiving the full patch. Again it is by vote, and when the vote happens the Prospect is informed that they are now a "brother", receive their patch and (at least in the case of SAMCRO) it seems most of them get one or more tattoos that show the same imagery as the patch.

This parallels the processes tribes throughout history used to vet and add new members.

I'll probably add more thoughts in a bit. What are your thoughts?

there are actually "official" academic names for these from anthropology and sociology

"subculture (ism)", the group structure shown in SOA could further be defined as being both a "total immersion"

and "deviant" one as well -----------------------------------
and


there is another excellent (excellent as in by way of example, the show, IMO, sucks) example of this on tv now i mentioned it in another thread

i watched one of the first eps and the last ep (curiosity and
all); believe it or not, ppl actually love this show and it will
have a second season

OUTSIDERS on WGN


a group of 'never advanced (except they use gas to cook with, have appliances and use 4 wheelers and side by sides)' group of ppl on
a mountain in eastern Kentucky they are so far removed from
society that even a 'normal' appalachian hick wouldn't be accepted by them

they are all related and derive form twp original families-the Farrels and the Shays

dumb show-disjointed acting, tropes galore and just overall oozy
acting and production

 

[Joelist]

You know what one pitfall is of watching a whole series on Netflix? Accidentally skipping an episode and it turns out to be an important one....

Yes, I suddenly noticed an unwatched episode in Season Two and lo and behold - it has Tig and Kip high on mushrooms and Tig tells Opie he killed Donna, and that it was an accident. Well, Opie beats the crap out of Tig then drives off, and Jax and Clay fear he is going to kill Stahl (who caused it all in the first place by making Opie look like a rat to try to coerce testimony out of him). And in the process Bobby finds out what happened too and to put it lightly he tells Clay this has the potential to bring SAMCRO down as Clay and Tig broke the rules by not bringing a potential rat to the jury.

Surprisingly, Opie corners Stahl then lets her go, telling her this was Outlaw Mercy and she needed to remember it as it only happens once. Then in a closed door meeting with Jax, Clay, Tig and Bobby he is the one who says that for the good of the MC he will forgive and forget and that everyone in the room had to do so also.

So scratch one of my objections above - the real issue was I missed the episode where it happened.