The Story of the Clan: A Cautionary Tale of Values, Leadership, and Justice (Dehumanization Lessons)

(Illustrative Only)

While the generations and centuries
have changed the basic concepts
of justice, wise leadership,
and societal development
have not. 

Vote your conscious and pick
the best and brightest to lead
versus the most connected.
It will influence future
generations and opportunities. 

Let us continue exploring the Story of the Clan as a philosophical and hypothetical example of how injustice can grow under the wrong circumstances. In this scenario, a good-old-boy network misused their positions to target people they disliked for racial, religious, political, or personal reasons. The story is simply a learning tool on dehumanization/hate and corruption—anyone can adjust its details, form their own conclusions, and reflect on what it reveals about their own values.

Lesson: Dehumanizing behaviors are a mirror into the perpetrators inner world. 

In this allegory, secret deals were made, courts were misused, and coordinated mistreatment became normal. Rumors were spread, children were put in harm’s way, elders were manipulated for financial gain, and some individuals engaged in long-term misconduct or extremism. These actors believed they had done nothing wrong because “it’s always been this way,” only later realizing that long-standing habits still require improvement. The behaviors were intentionally manipulative, dangerous, and horrendous but this didn't stop anyone; only the fear of getting caught slowed them down.

Whistleblowers reported wrongdoing, but their information was intentionally leaked back to perpetrators, leading to retaliation and collusion. Freedoms of speech and religion were violated. People were harmed. This kind of dehumanization erodes trust and weakens institutions. Wise officials protect long-term institutional health and are not easily swayed by social, political, religious, foreign, or personal bias. Their loyalty lies with the people and the social contracts that hold communities together. A higher standard should have been upheld, and only new leadership made a diference 

Lesson: Many perpetrators don't often stop stimply because its moral or immoral but seem to respond to risks of being held to account.

Lesson: Systems can be easily manipulated by internal actors so it is important to have stronger checks and balances. 

Lesson: New leadership can help if changes internally are strong enough, cultural adjustments occur, and checks and balances are implemented.

Societies depend on shared assumptions and everyday interactions that support growth and stability. When bad actors face no correction, the lack of accountability becomes a statement about decision makers true values. Over time, these choices shape deeper assumptions that influence cohesion. Justice is not only about punishment—it is about what a society chooses to stand for. In this example, community awareness and patriotic officials helped prevent a full breakdown of justice.

Founding documents and social contracts were created to protect people from these very abuses, though their purpose is often forgotten. Good citizens remember the lessons of history, avoid feelings of entitlement, and honor the sacrifices others made to advance shared ideals. While these principles have never been applied perfectly, the aim has always been to move toward greater liberty and freedom despite human flaws.

Lesson: The very misuse of law and entitlement of institutional outcomes is inherently immoral, illegal and fails to learn from history. 

When self-interested or corrupted actors adopt ideas that undermine those freedoms—dividing people by race or religion, fueling hyper-partisanship, suppressing speech, or creating unsafe conditions—they drift away from core values. Sometimes this comes from internal corruption, sometimes from outside influences that promote division. In such environments, both harmful actions and unhealthy assumptions can create a shield for destructive behavior. Protecting the mind and communities from distorted thinking becomes essential.

Lesson: People who misuse systems and cheat others out of their rights undermine the foundations of trust.

Good advice for the next generation is simple: vote for the best and brightest. Choose leaders at all levels who demonstrate integrity, competence, and commitment to shared values—regardless of party. Learn about social contracts, civic responsibilities, and the people who preserve them. If parties seem identical or unhelpful, vote independent to bring in new ideas. Many candidates are shaped by special interests, which distorts priorities and widens inequality. Encourage good people and those who preserve their independence of thought to serve and take on leadership roles.

Lesson: People who lack integrity are unlikely going to find it so vote for the best quality candidates beyond party considerations.

We need leaders chosen for merit and genuine service, not for their ties to special interests or ideologies that work against the purpose of society. Correcting wrongdoing is vital—not only for justice but to support the many officials who do act with integrity. Strong leadership can inspire them while ensuring real checks and balances for those who misuse power. Our choices today shape what the next generation inherits. Ultimately, they will decide what to do with that inheritance.

Lesson: The next generation should think about what they want and build off of the successes and learn from the failures of our generation. 

Choose wisely—time answers all questions.

Humanizing and Duhumanizing Research

• It emphasizes that social relationships and complex social identities shape how dehumanization unfolds in real conflicts and aggression.

• The authors highlight the importance of examining the institutional and organizational contexts in which dehumanization occurs, rather than only individual attitudes.

• They call for increased interdisciplinarity, bringing together perspectives from culture, society, and institutions to better understand how dehumanization connects with aggression and extremism.

• The overall aim is to make dehumanization research more applicable and insightful for real-world cases of conflict and brutality by re-centering human elements in both theory and empirical work.

• The article argues that dehumanization research needs to focus more on core human-centered aspects like cultural conceptions of what it means to be human, not just abstract theories.