“Social cohesion, which started with loyalty to a group reinforced by the fear of enemies, grew by processes partly natural and partly deliberate until it reached the vast conglomerations that we now know as nations. To these processes various forces contributed. At a very early stage loyalty to a group must have been reinforced by loyalty to a leader. In a large tribe the chief or king may be known to everybody even when private individuals are often strangers to each other. In this way, personal as opposed to tribal loyalty makes possible an increase in the size of the group without doing violence to instinct.” (Russell, 14)
Russell has stated that it was natural for human nature to eventually come together and form social cohesions. There are different factors that make this possible. One of these factors that contributes to social cohesions is loyalty. The different kinds of loyalty that are developed in individuals are always changing depending on their beliefs and preferences. The modern loyalty that exists today takes the terms friend and foe. No matter what, one will always view another as a friend or foe, though this can change at any moment. It is agreeable that when times are dire, a foe instantly turns into a friend. We live in a world where it has become normal to want to gain another’s praise, trust, respect, and loyalty. Loyalty is always formed, or not, even though it does not seem apparent.
Katherine Laurencio
I strongly agree with this. Now a days almost everyone is having such loyalty issues and turning friends into foes and a minor issue can turn a foe into friend. A little mistake in friendship and you are done. But, sometimes there has to be some space for something called ‘maturity” in friendship. I’m saying this because living on this world is not an easy task when sometimes a person is not left with a choice so he/she has to do which might not be ethical regarding friendship. In response, other should try to understand instead of cursing and building up their grudges which could lead to long term relations.
~Hamza Khokhar~
I agree that loyalty contributes to social cohesion. Loyalty is achieved in several ways, and changes often depending on what benefits us the most. Referring back to Russell, it is true that a friend can become a foe, and a foe can become a friend. In dire times, we accept these foes to be our friends because we prioritize our well being first. When we are placed in danger, we do not have much of a choice but to cooperate in order to save ourselves.