[keeringplastik]

Because we have been conditioned to defend the honor and virtue of arbitrary political tribes by attacking viewpoints and ideas that do not align with our own preconceptions.

If there was a buzzword contest for 2016 I would nominate "cognitive dissonance". It requires far less intellectual effort to be dismissive of ideas and concepts that produce cognitive dissonance, than it is to wrap ones mind around the petty divisions that weaken our society.

Divided, to be more easily conquered? We could all do with a little Sun Tzu these days. Seems it might put our predicament in context.