The warring tribes of today: Somewheres vs Anywheres

David Goodhart, a British journalist and writer, has a unique and useful perspective on our polarized world. He says the current world is split into two types of people: the Somewheres and the Anywheres. Let's see what this division means👇

The Somewheres value "group attachments, familiarity and security." They tend to live in, or close to, places they were born in. Their jobs tend to be attached to the physical world. They have a strong sense of belonging to some place.

The Anywheres value self-expression and individuality over group ties. They tend to be well-educated and cosmopolitan. They tend to work in the knowledge economy. They view themselves not as nodes embedded in a network, but as free-wheeling agents.

These are not rival races or rival classes, but "rival value blocks." They live in the same countries but have vastly different values. Recent economic trends have favored the Anywheres over the Somewheres: for example, the digitization of work and the rise of the remote economy.

Covid-19 led to new opportunity for the Anywheres. As the offline world went into a lockdown, the online world expanded. The Anywheres could continue working, while the Somewheres were often furloughed or laid off.

Higher education vs technical training. The children of Anywheres pursue higher education; the children of Somewheres tend to get into trades after seeking technical training. Recently, the emphasis on higher education has grown while technical training has been "eviscerated."

Hourglass labor market. This has led to an hourglass labor market that has "wiped out the middling jobs that used to give Somewheres status." This often happens through automation or moving manufacturing to foreign hubs with cheaper labor.

What the Anywheres can learn from the Somewheres. The anywheres, despite their recent successes, can do with more community ties. Humans are social animals; we are built to be embedded inside reliable networks of friends and extended family. Roaming ships do finally need to dock.

What the Somewheres can learn from the Anywheres. The Somewheres might benefit from learning the rules of the new world. This doesn't mean giving up their attachments, but to borrow some tricks that have led to the success of the Anywheres.

Bottom line. David Goodhart uses this framework to explain Brexit and Trump's election, but it's applicable everywhere. The divide between these two groups is deep and affects how they work, who they trust, and what they value. They continue to be at odds, and will clash again.