While responses to the Israel-Hamas conflict have been bitterly divided, they showcase a common phenomenon of people viewing complex situations in black-and-white terms. But how did we get here?
As children, we heard bedtime stories with calming narratives of ‘good’ vs ‘bad’, and clear signposting for which side to celebrate. Fables and folklore were crafted and circulated to reassuringly convey conventional values like filial piety and general good behaviour.
Even once we’ve moved out of the controlled scenarios of childhood into the adult world, we are still programmed to identify and support the “right” side in any conflict. This is harmless in the schoolyard, and jolly good fun at the football stadium. But in every other domain, there are many potentially dangerous repercussions:
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