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There is an old saying, 'Birds of a feather flock together'. Indeed, most people stick with their own kind. People tend to get along well when they share similar interests like teenagers building a clique and always hanging around together. In most situations, it is much more difficult to communicate and work with people who are very different from us. This can be best epitomized by two historical events, American civil war and The Troubles.
The American Civil War was a war fought for 4 years between the North and the South of the United States. The reason for the war that these two groups held totally different ideas over the issue of 'slavery' was 'Sectionalism', which means an excessive concern for local interests as opposed to the interests of the whole. Since key industries of the South were the production of cotton and tobacco, it needed to continue slavery. On the other hand, the North, which needed cheap labor, wanted to abolish the slavery. The severe controversy between them was inevitable. After Abraham Lincoln was elected president in 1860, the Southern states seceded from the Union, which caused the outbreak of the war. If two States had similar surroundings, they could have agreed about slavery. In this regard, it is clear that people agree with others who have common ground that helps to build a good relationship.
The ethno-political conflict in Northern Ireland, The Troubles also illustrates that people get along better with people who are similar to them. In the aftermath of Irish War of Independence, Ireland was detached from the United Kingdom except the Northern part where many Catholics reside. However, Irish protestants generally wanted to leave the UK and join a united Ireland while Catholics generally wanted Northern Ireland to remain within the UK. Under the harsh discrimination of British government against Irish based on job and vote rights, they resisted strenuously for 70 years. Through the 1998 Good Friday agreement, the conflict which left 3700 of victims was ended. In this case, religion, the fundamental similarity, gathered people and gave them a common perspective so they could act together.
It might seem that people prefer to associate with those whose views and actions are different from their own because they are irritated by those who are too much like them. Yet, historical facts above prove that it is not true. At first glance, a person who is different from you might look like a sweet strawberry jam. But be aware. They might turn out to be pepper paste. |