Divergence- a democracy's undoing

Divergence

As humans we all have instinctive humanitarian outlook set as default in our conscience, which is why we stick together converged as a society.  This equilibrium is in constant threat from divergence.

Divergence comes in when we make trivial selfish matters more important in comparison to the global humanist outlook.  We have a lot more in common than different as humans but we do have a biased outlook and a discerning eye to spot the minutest differences. 

Sadly modern politics thrives on divergence. There is a set pattern where a break out politician identifies and appeals to diverging views of  a group that do not conform with the humanist outlook.

Appealing to parochial concerns or past injustices one can easily gather support and prominence. The bigger the group you claim to represent, the more the noise around you, the faster you gain prominence and acknowledgement.

Pick up a cause that emotionally appeals to a group of people, clubbed together ideally by religion, race, geography or language tell them they have been wronged and you will help them get justice, equality, freedom or their rights, they will be lining up at your door forgetting that all these ideals are available or achievable in the global humanist outlook without a sense of hurt or privilege.

On a personal level divergence works differently for each individual. If you have had the same group of people governing you over a period of time and your neighbors have prospered more than you have you are already finding a way to blame it on something else apart from your own incompetence. Easy then for someone to appeal to this false sense of injustice and have you latch on to the cause of removing this establishment which favors a few.

Some other would join forces because their kids did not make much of a career while other kids are sure of their future. The angst just needs a direction and a common threat perception to be exploited by a willing politician.

Political expression of divergence is often a good force when a regime has totally letdown and betrayed its people, but quite often its misplaced and misdirected.

Divergence really becomes a threat to society when extreme deep seated hatred and anger is appealed to. Thats when you start seeing friends turning foes, long time peaceful neighbors turning on each other, widespread hate and acrimony.

Even though this said hate might be a huge pain point to the individual but if he would look at it from a global humanist point of view he will find its owing to his trivial personal issues which in reality have nothing to do with larger socio-political issues being promoted and extolled.

When such divergent views of hatred are rampant, it creates victims of hate as a targeted group.