Racism

[Astonished]

No...that's not true at all. What about greed? What about power? I think most wars have nothing to do with racism.

Racism is useful for drumming up public support for a war, but the real reasons for war are usually found within the pockets of special interest groups or the hidden agendas of officials.

We may be in the Iraq quagmire ultimately because of the junior Bush's daddy issues.

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It doesn't matter. Humans tend to coalesce around in-groups and focus their energies on out-groups. Eliminate one difference -- say, ban religion altogether, worldwide, and have that stick for say a thousand years -- it won't eliminate "problems", because we humans have it built deep into us to identify in-groups and out-groups, and accord favorable or unfavorable treatment along those lines. Eliminate racism? Then we'll pick on the rich, or the poor, or the nonbelievers, or the vegetarians, or ...

I wouldn't be surprised to learn that that tendency far predates the rise of even A. Afarensis.

You don't effectively spread your genes by giving other bands of primates equality. Social groups are in genetic competition within species and the ones that smacked down rivals for the same resources left more descendants than the groups that didn't.

And also useful for finding cannon fodder for those wars according to those in power. It's easy to build public support for it when the majority group is able to think, "Well, at least it's not OUR kids who'll be going over there and dying."