“We unleashed the power of AI, yet our souls were cast and carved in the tribal age, and our urgent task is to bridge the two”.
Tribes: 99.76% of Our History
For 2.5 million years, we lived in tribes, a period that most profoundly shaped our genetic inheritance and social instincts. Tribes weren’t just a way of life—they were everything: home, family, livelihood, and safety rolled into one. Belonging to the tribe defined identity, not occupation. Asking someone, "What do you do?" would have made no sense; their identity was inseparable from the tribe itself—the tribe was their very essence.
In tribal life, the community was the core of existence. Members depended on one another, and survival was a shared effort. Work, such as hunting or gathering, consumed just 3 to 5 hours a day. The rest of the time was spent strengthening bonds, storytelling, and simply being together—activities that satisfied emotional and social needs. The tribe was mobile, moving across landscapes, yet it was always home for its members.
This lifestyle dominated 99.76% of our shared history, providing the evolutionary foundation for who we are today. While technologies and external environments have changed dramatically, our social instincts and emotional needs remain rooted in this ancient structure.
Villages: 0.24% of Our History
Twelve thousand years ago, the Agricultural Revolution brought the birth of villages, fundamentally altering human life. Half of the global population transitioned from nomadic tribes to villages within 6,000 years. Villages introduced agriculture, which required more sustained labor and tied people to specific plots of land. The family became the central social unit for the first time, and the community—while still present—took a secondary role.
Tied to the rhythms of the seasons, farmers invested 8 to 12 hours daily in agricultural work. Identity shifted from the collective tribe to individual occupations. People now described themselves as "farmers," reflecting the centrality of work to their lives. The term "home" changed, too, referring not to a community but to a house or plot of land.
Villages offered stability and surplus but at a high social cost. The tight social bonds of the tribe unraveled, increasing isolation among community members. While the village offered a physical safe zone and a hub for trade, it marked the start of a growing divide between livelihood and community—a separation that would only deepen with time.
Cities: 0.0008% of Our History
Around 6,000 years ago, villages evolved into cities, driven by trade, governance, security, education, specialization, etc. Cities brought markets, professional diversity, and opportunities far beyond what villages could offer. Yet, they also magnified the isolation that began in villages. Families became more insular, and individuals were increasingly defined by their professions, wealth and life style.
Unlike tribes, which were interconnected, or villages, which were agriculturally focused, cities became hubs of economic activity. People became "residents”, not "members," of their communities. Changing one’s place of residency was as easy as changing jobs, further weakening communal bonds. Today, cities dominate our world: in 2007, for the first time, over 50% of the global population lived in urban centers.
However, while economically powerful, the city model is built on a framework developed 12,000 years ago during the village era. In many ways, cities are an outdated operating system trying to run modern societal programs. They separate livelihood from the community, leaving many disconnected from the social bonds and shared purpose that provide a deeper sense of belonging and fulfillment.
The Kibbutz: A Modern Tribe-Company Fusion
The Kibbutz is a revolutionary model that bridges our deep-rooted social tribal heritage with cutting-edge business structures designed to navigate the complexities of modern life. More than just a community model, it’s a fusion of the tribal social cohesion and the organizational efficiency of a Ltd company.
Established in 1910 with the founding of Dgania, the first Kibbutz, this model redefined communal living by seamlessly integrating livelihood, community, and family under a shared, mission-driven purpose.
Shortly before my mother passed away, we sat together on the large lawn in front of her house on a sunny winter day. I asked her how she would sum up her life, and her response was both simple and profound: “We never dreamed it would be this good”. When my mother spoke of the Kibbutz, it was always “we”—a word that encapsulated the essence of the collective identity she cherished.
In the Kibbutz, identity is rooted in belonging—to being part of a collective—rather than defined by occupation. This deep sense of connection stays with members long after they leave, often leading them to say, “You can leave the Kibbutz, but the Kibbutz never leaves you”. Members co-own the Kibbutz, aligning personal success with collective well-being. Unlike traditional companies, where profits flow to shareholders, Kibbutzim reinvest earnings back into the community—strengthening businesses, building housing, funding education, and ensuring comprehensive social support for all.
The Kibbutz’s diverse sources of income make it highly resilient to fluctuations in any single sector, such as agriculture (orchards, field crops, dairy farms, chicken coops, etc.), industry, tourism, services, or even external work opportunities. This diversification fosters economic stability, providing members with a range of employment options and ensuring the community’s strength and sustainability, even in the face of sector-specific challenges. Perhaps this is why, while less than 1% of companies established in Israel 100 years ago still exist today, 100% of the Kibbutzim founded then are still thriving, and none of their members suffer hunger or poverty.
This model not only excels in agriculture but also thrives in diverse industries. The Kibbutz structure has demonstrated exceptional adaptability, scalability, and resilience, providing invaluable real-life lessons for both developing and developed economies.
The Kibbutz as a Global Model
The Kibbutz isn’t just a historical curiosity; it’s a blueprint for the future. It demonstrates that communities can balance economic efficiency with social cohesion, meeting both our ancestral, genetically ingrained instincts and modern aspirations.
In a world where people yearn for connection, purpose, and balance, the Kibbutz offers a tangible and high-quality alternative to virtual social networks' fleeting and shallow bonds.
I invite you to consider how the Kibbutz model, once adapted to local contexts, could transform communities worldwide. It’s time to move beyond isolated residences and fragmented work-life balances. It’s time to create mission-driven communities that unite people—not just to live, but to thrive as individuals, families, and part of a cohesive community.
A Balanced Way of Life
Reflecting on my childhood, I remember how my parents would spend time with me every day from 4 to 8 pm. This wasn’t an exception but a norm in the Kibbutz lifestyle. Today, how many families can say the same? Modern urban life, with its relentless work schedules and fragmented communities, leaves little room for such daily family time.
In the Kibbutz, municipal and administrative tasks—the kind that consume urban dwellers’ “free time”—are handled collectively. This frees up time for members to focus on what truly matters: relationships, personal growth, and community building.
The Role of AI in Modern Life
In an AI-driven world, the relevance of the Kibbutz model becomes even more apparent. While AI accelerates technological progress and reshapes industries, it also risks deepening societal fragmentation. The Kibbutz offers a compelling example of how cutting-edge advancements can be harmonized with human-centric community structures, ensuring that technological gains do not come at the expense of social cohesion. By fostering collaboration and shared purpose, Kibbutzim provides a blueprint for how AI and community can coexist and thrive together.
In contrast, solonist farmers—smallholders—find themselves at a disadvantage in this rapidly changing landscape. Unlike the Kibbutz, which leverages collective strength and adaptability, smallholders lack the organizational frameworks to fully benefit from AI’s potential. As we explore the impact of AI on different societal models, the disparity in outcomes becomes stark, underscoring the critical need for structures that integrate technology with communal resilience.
Takeaway Messages
» Human connection thrives when community and livelihood are fully
» The Kibbutz bridges ancestral roots with modern economic and social needs.
» Mission-driven communities foster prosperity, balance, and belonging in today’s world..
Let me know how I can help you achieve your goals. Reach out on WhatsApp at +972-54-2523425.
If you got to here, read this column, and enjoyed it, please be nice to your friends, share it with them, or help them Subscribe.
"Mental and Economic Freedom Are Interconnected."
See you soon,
Nimrod
Dr. Nimrod Israely is the CEO and Founder of Dream Valley and Biofeed companies and the Chairman and Co-founder of the IBMA conference. +972-54-2523425 (WhatsApp), or email nisraely@biofeed.co.il
P.S.
If you missed it, here is a link to last week's blog, “Prosperity and the Evolution of Human Organizational Structures”.
P.P.S.
Here are ways we can work together to help your agro sector and rural communities step forward and shift from poverty into ongoing prosperity:
* Nova Kibbutz and consultancy on rural communities' models.
* Local & National programs related to agro-produce export models - Dream Valley global vertical value and supply chain business model and concept connects (a) input suppliers with farmers in developing economies and (b) those farmers with consumers in premium markets.
* Crop protection: Biofeed, an eco-friendly zero-spray control technology and protocol.
*This article addresses general phenomena. The mention of a country/continent is used for illustration purposes only.
Comments