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The article explains this, to a degree. The short version is that we naturally identify with people similar to us. Geographic separation is an influencer in th

The article explains this, to a degree. The short version is that we naturally identify with people similar to us. Geographic separation is an influencer in this. As such, a person will identify more closely with those around him than with those hundreds of miles away. An ingroup and an outgroup are thus formed. Per the article, such a distinction can then lead to either patriotic (pro-ingroup) or nationalist (anti-outgroup) behavior, depending on how strong one's ties to one's own group are. This is why the only way to unify the planet as you suggest is to introduce an extraterrestrial threat strong enough to make our entire species an ingroup. Which is, if you'll forgive the comics nerd moment, exactly what Ozymandias does in the Watchmen.

Kristine1975 11y ago
But that doesn't explain why the ingroup and outgroup follow along a nation's borders. >exactly what Ozymandias does in the Watchmen. Although Dr Manhatten casts doubt on whether he achieves that goal for a longer period of time when he last talks to Ozymandias.
- coldtea 11y ago
  >But that doesn't explain why the ingroup and outgroup follow along a nation's borders. They follow across MANY borders, including a nation's. They follow family borders, neighborhood borders, city borders, county borders, state borders, nation borders and even wider cultural borders (e.g. US, UK and Australia closer to each other than to Peru or Brazil, and vice versa).
kmnc 11y ago
Even in an X-Risk scenario can we unify without first establishing species equality, or more importantly a universal common sense? Doesn't an X-Risk just establish two groups: the in group who is doing everything to solve the X-Risk and the out group who isn't helping. These groups would then just continue to split themselves up based on small differences likely undermining the actual solution to the X-Risk.

Kristine1975 11y ago

But that doesn't explain why the ingroup and outgroup follow along a nation's borders. >exactly what Ozymandias does in the Watchmen. Although Dr Manhatten casts doubt on whether he achieves that goal for a longer period of time when he last talks to Ozymandias.

coldtea 11y ago
>But that doesn't explain why the ingroup and outgroup follow along a nation's borders. They follow across MANY borders, including a nation's. They follow family borders, neighborhood borders, city borders, county borders, state borders, nation borders and even wider cultural borders (e.g. US, UK and Australia closer to each other than to Peru or Brazil, and vice versa).

kmnc 11y ago

Even in an X-Risk scenario can we unify without first establishing species equality, or more importantly a universal common sense? Doesn't an X-Risk just establish two groups: the in group who is doing everything to solve the X-Risk and the out group who isn't helping. These groups would then just continue to split themselves up based on small differences likely undermining the actual solution to the X-Risk.