All three groups claim to want truth, justice and democracy for Thailand. But the first two groups would sacrifice those values - hence Thailand - for the Democrats or Pheu Thai without batting an eye. They end up sacrificing Thailand unwittingly, because they can't see through the colour-coded tribal lens.
We all have our priorities, don't we?
In tribalism, we reject reason and champion emotion. We sacrifice principles for blind loyalty and mindless worship. We are driven by the love for our tribe and the hate for our opposition. All the while we spew forth the principles of truth, justice and democracy to round off our contradiction.
It's hypocrisy, a comical tragedy that is worth a chuckle or two _ and today's column will get very personal because I love my country, but not without a chuckle or two.
Over the years I've written much on how the players on both sides of the political divide exhibit the hypocrisy of tribalism. From political parties to civic movements, they all talk of truth, justice and democracy, while using lies, injustice and undemocratic means to achieve political victory for their respective tribe.
Those players can get away with it, because their tribal members participate in this masturbatory circle.
The latest example is over the e-ngo (dumb bitch) comment made by the opposition leader. While it wasn't a direct insult, anyone who has watched the video should know to what or to whom he was referring.
Yet, from Democrat MPs (even women) to ordinary Democrat tribal members, many are adamant and have a long list of excuses to justify the remark, as well as attempting to give the softest possible definition for e-ngo. There is no direct translation for the word, but rest assured the sentiment is ''dumb bitch''.
Failing that, there's the gem misdirection of ''well, the other side use insults all the time too'' _ as if this justified what he said.
No, wrong is wrong. A public apology (even a fake one) would go a long way to returning to a sense of common decency. But common decency is readily sacrificed because we are obstinately loyal to our tribal leader.
Another recent example is my column on Thursday, ''Waiting for Yingluck to start giving back'', in which I, as a tax-paying citizen, charged the prime minister to, rather than spending so much time globetrotting, instead stay home and make real reforms.
Human rights abuses and the lack of the rule of law were just two examples given in the article. There's a laundry list of urgent issues that need the national leader to actually lead on. Yet, of the many pieces of feedback I received was this one: ''She's already doing a great job.'' So I asked for examples of the ''great job''. Ten hours later _ possibly after much time on Google, because heaven forbid someone actually asks for facts to back up a claim _ the reply included two trade agreements and the Pope's scheduled visit to Thailand. That's it.
That qualifies as two years of a ''great job'' by the prime minister of Thailand.Either we have very low expectations, have misunderstood the definition of ''great'' or we are truly blinded by our tribalism.
Then there is this gem: one person posted that he surely paid more tax than me and he is fine with her travelling abroad, promoting and building relationships. Think about that for a moment, an elitist Pheu Thai tribal member; the horror of it.
Thailand must be a lovely country with no human rights abuses or corruption, where the law is fair and humane and democracy is robust, where there's peace and smiles everywhere, where there are no urgent political or social problems.
So citizens ought to be fine with the national leader spending every month globetrotting, doing great PR work and forging relationships. That gets the priority. Which Thailand do you live in? I would like to move there.
The leader leads and tackles the most serious tasks head-on _ not delegating while globetrotting. There is no relationship forging or trade-deal signing more important than addressing the ongoing decay of our nation.
Does Sir Alex Ferguson coach Manchester United via Skype? No. Okay wait, that's not the best example, but you get the gist. Does he delegate the leadership role to his staff in a championship match while he's off forging a relationship with Buriram FC? No.
The blind tribal loyalty is such that when charging the prime minister to tackle the issues of human rights and democracy head-on _ the very issues Pheu Thai tribal members always chant about and accuse the other side of abusing _ those very same people manage to be up in arms and make excuses.
How's that for the stark horror of hypocrisy?
The hypocrisy of the tribe is only worth a chuckle or two, nothing more. Get out of the masturbatory circle. Get new contact lenses not tinted by a colour.Choose Thailand.
Let me make a note on choosing Thailand: don't think of it in the nationalistic sense that invites xenophobia, but in a patriotic sense that encourages truth, justice and democracy, and basic common decency.
If we fail to rise above the mindless tribalism, then we fail Thailand. We fail our children. We fail our future. We fail as a country.
Meanwhile, support the prime minister and challenge her to do the best job for Thailand. If she fails or neglects her role, critique her and demand more from her. Why? She's the prime minister of Thailand, the entire country.
She does well, we do well. She fails, we fail.
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