The problem we are only beginning to reconcile

[Paraselene]

The problem has always been in the attempt to achieve total conformity.

Some people are incapable of being comfortable with the fact that others are different in any way.

This prevalence is mostly observed in the realm of religion. Politics is a close second cousin.

When it comes to religion, any attempt to move even an inch away from what is accepted as absolute can be considered an act of treason.  Typical cult mentality takes over: you are either with us or you are against us.

There is a very good reason that those who are deeply lost in the delusion of religion are considered sheep.  Sheep, after all, are herd animals of the most extreme kind.  They are not comfortable at all unless they are close together all the time in order to ensure that one does not stray from the fold.  

What makes it hard for any kind of chance is any given generation having an ignorant, immovable, sheep-like stance on how things should be.

Older generations love to dwell on the idea that the world is going to hell.  The only thing going to hell is their inability to accept that change is inevitable.  With the progress of time must inevitably come change.

That is why there will always be a cause for which to fight, but that is why there will always be a younger generation born and allowed the right and privilege to inform the older generations just how ignorant they are being with their protestations to change.

With age does not necessarily come wisdom, which is all too apparent with how older generations are unwilling to understand reason.  With age merely comes age.

As ages pass, however, we become more attune to how the world works and we become more capable of understanding that what those in power are attempting to impose on us is nothing more than ignorance wrapped in authority.

As a result of heightened understanding, we can further ensure our reasoned survival by not voting into office the one that will most definitely ensure further strife for humanity.  

Think before you vote.

[Red Economist]

Some level of conformity is necessary for people to live in a group; we need to share a common language, sets of rules, ideas and ethical standards in order to live together. the "them and us" mentality is a legitimate defense mechanism in so far as we do not know how someone who does not belong to the group will behave.

The issue in both cases is that it can be deeply authoritarian and conformity and the "them and us" mentality can be fixed; they become destructive to their own ends as people become hostile to new information, ideas and people. We have got better at letting go of the insecurities that make us this way, partly through giving up religion as a basis for our system of government.

However, religion persists in secular societies, as does conformity based on the dominant culture (mainly through the mass media and popular culture rather than religion now) and discrimination of the basis of group characteristics (such as race, gender etc) as opposed to individual ones, which are unique for which an individual can be held responsible for as a way of evaluating the extent of their contribution and value to the group.