The ancient British division that I speak of still persists today in different forms, but I think it has found more healthy outlets most of the time. Things like voluntary devolution in the UK and celebration of local culture in the USA have helped people keep their unique cultures and ideas without bloodshed. Ideally, we should all be at peace, communicate with one another, and maintain our diversity of culture. I hope that that's where we're all headed... but history may have something else to say about that.[/QUOTE]
Thank you.
It's fascinating how events, coupled with the power of the media, can either quickly galvanise or divide people. The royal wedding today is seeing a surge in national pride / patriotism unseen in years. Super! Billions around the globe are watching...and perhaps there is even an international galvanisation occurring as 'a large part of humanity' send their best wishes (and prayers) to the young couple (who really do seem the 'genuine article'). People love goodness, wherever it is to be found.
And yet, the words or actions of a maverick leader or a militant few can just as quickly turn the tide of opinion of the masses violently against communities with just the slightest links to those few who spread dissent and violence eg with what is happening in the Muslim communities.
In the English / US civil wars, led on by the passion of a growing few, whole communities became bitterly divided previous to which people had peacefully co existed. Admittedly, this happended without a mass media to fan the flames.
But the slaughter in Rwanda WAS exacerbated by mass media, just as media machines were used to demonise 'the Hun' or the 'Boer' or 'Charlie' in 'Nam.
After a conflict, people can quickly return to co existence (Europe after the second war)....although no doubt passions can still run deep after many conflicts (the confederate identity in the Deep South). Mass media (feeding on a human urge for peace) no doubt plays a powerful role in how quickly relations can be normalised.
So questions remain about who controls the media, how feelings can be manipulated, how old tensions can be scratched, how conflicts can be stoked up (perhaps to serve the interests of a few) ...........and how the radical agendas of a few can be stopped before whole communities are radicalised.
Humour and the sharp analysis of people blessed with wisdom and a sense of justice should be able to save us from ourselves. Let's hope the mass media is always prepared to give such voices spaces to be heard.