Why is there so much hatred and conflict in the world?

[Rufus Stone]

I can't help wondering if it's because the current generations have no knowledge of the atrocities of large scale war. I think the human race is regressing not progressing. You might think that globalisation of business and largely worldwide access to information and people via the internet would make people realise that we are one planet and need to get along, but the red lines on the map are just getting brighter.

[Rufus Stone]

Slowboathome said:

I see it on a global scale and locally, in family relationships and intimate ones too. And I include myself in that.

I think it's a combination of factors:

- we're chimps with extra processing power. And chimps are aggressive.

- we've not evolved to deal with the 21st century.

- less than perfect parenting.

- loss of important social structures

Yes, agree with a lot of that. We will soon have AI taking over as humans can't cope.

[Rufus Stone]

Slowboathome said:

Fair points. Maybe I see religion as part of tribalism (which I didn't mention either). Humans identify as 'us' and 'them' whether in terms of religion, postcode, race or football team.

Sad really. Why can't we identify as one tribe of planet earth? Maybe we need to be formally visited by extra-terrestrials for that to happen.

[Rufus Stone]

TwigtheWonderkid said:

We aren't. We're great apes, as are chimps, bonobos, orangutans and gorillas.

Evolution pedantry.

I suspect we haven't evolved as much as some people would like to think.

[Rufus Stone]

Kermit power said:

Sorry, you've got me confused...

Looking purely at this country, the Boer war generation led us into the WW1, the junior officers that they led in that conflict led us into WW2, which was then followed up by Korea, although they at least had the sense to steer clear of Vietnam...

And you think there's more hatred and conflict in the world today?

I didn't say there was.

My point is that the word is getting 'smaller' yet conflict appears to be increasing. Why is that?

[Rufus Stone]

Slowboathome said:

Yus.

I simply don't believe that the violence in Northern Ireland between two types of Christians was anything to do with their disagreements on the doctrine of transubstantiation of the significance of the Virgin Mary.

See also post-code gangs.

Humans seemed to be wired to gang up against one another.

You just made me think of Gary Glitter.

[Rufus Stone]

I can't help but think that one day humanity will exterminate itself.