Human groups split and fight each other for various reasons, which can be attributed to a combination of evolutionary, psychological, and social factors. The male warrior hypothesis suggests that men may be more motivated to support and defend their ingroup, particularly when faced with threats, leading to intergroup conflict[2]. Additionally, some researchers argue that war is not part of human nature and that armed conflict has emerged over recent millennia due to changing social conditions, providing the motivation and organization for collective violence[3]. Furthermore, the evolution of human behavior has led to a unique mixture of shockingly violent and super-cooperative tendencies, contributing to the complex nature of intergroup conflict[4]. These factors, along with social, political, and economic circumstances, contribute to the propensity of human groups to split and engage in conflict with each other.
Some of the main factors that get humans to fight are:
1. Identity and Belonging: People naturally seek a strong sense of identity and belonging. Forming smaller groups allows individuals to align themselves with like-minded individuals who share their values, beliefs, or cultural backgrounds. This creates a sense of community and fosters a feeling of inclusion, which can be opposed to other groups.
2. Competition for Resources: Limited resources such as land, food, water, or other necessary goods can fuel conflicts between different groups. As humans strive to secure their own survival and ensure the well-being of their own communities, competition for resources often arises, leading to tensions and conflicts.
3. Power Struggles: Groups or individuals may engage in conflicts to gain or maintain power, control, or dominance. This can manifest in various forms, such as political disputes, territorial disputes, or struggles for leadership positions within a group.
4. Ideological or Social Differences: Humans have diverse beliefs, values, and worldviews. Disagreements over ideologies, religious beliefs, political opinions, or social norms can result in divisions among groups and lead to conflicts. When different groups have conflicting perspectives on fundamental matters, conflict and hostility may arise.
5. Fear and Threat Perception: Humans often perceive those who are different or unfamiliar as potential threats. This fear of the unknown can lead to the formation of defensive or exclusionary groups to protect against perceived threats. Prejudices, stereotypes, and historical conflicts can also contribute to the development of group divisions and ongoing conflicts.
It is important to note that while conflict and division can occur among human groups, cooperation and collaboration can also be prevalent. Humans have the capacity to unite and work together towards common goals, fostering peace and understanding.
Risk of Deception
Although humans have this capacity, those who seek to profit from conflict have amazing cunning and also, in modern times, many advanced tools of deception with which to trick the usually less intelligent groups of humans into extended fights and even proxy wars. Therefore, critical thinking skills and education are key factors in reducing human wars.
Citations:
[1] https://www.reddit.com/r/Jung/comments/14naqv9/why_do_similar_groups_of_people_split_up_and_hate/
[2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3260849/
[3] https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/war-is-not-part-of-human-nature/
[4] https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg24132170-300-how-humans-evolved-to-be-both-shockingly-violent-and-super-cooperative/
[5] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1090513814001366
