Tenken

I don't even know how to respond to this. I believe in the Way of the Leaf, so your statement does not apply to me.

I agree with that in the historical sense but I think saying stuff like "crusading" is assigning a specific label that I think anyone trying to have an intellectual discussion about being honest in what we as species do should avoid. not really a discussion you want to go to.

I do agree in the sense that we are fundamentally the same in that the human condition hasn't changed much. People who lived in the dark ages and perhaps dating back even further to cavemen. We all still want basic human needs: to eat, to have shelter, to drink, to be loved and to be care for someone else. These are all things that people back then strived for and fought wars over, and like you said we still have a tendancy to dehumanize and discriminate on what we are not familiar with.

In short, I don't think peopel are different; I just think instead of castles, lands, Kings, gold, velvet costumes and gowns...we have 3 piece suits, Corporations, branding, and we still pass on our ideals and heirs just like families back then.

it changes on a superficial level I like to think.

I agree, especially here in America, but I think to an extent it's natural that groups develop an us vs. them mentality. A lot of groups are formed for that specific reason.

In particular with religion in America and the rise of fundamentalist I think it can be attributed to the fact that America is becoming less religious, but those people won't accept it.

'Us versus them' has existed ever since humans started hanging around in groups.