Conflict aversion Many of us are so mightily afraid of conflict, that we are willing to do nearly anything to avoid it. We are ready to give in, give up on our ideals, compromise our principles, even lie, in order to pursue, what we may perceive as, “a peaceful resolution”. Yet why are we so intimidated by a mere idea of disagreement? Well, I have quite a few thoughts on that. I'll present you with just a handful, as well as with a simple and unoriginal solution at the end. First, you cannot deny the impact monotheistic religions have had on our collective unconscious. The idea that we are all “little soldiers” in the holy war of good against evil, is intrinsically intertwined into the canvas of the mythology of the widest spread monotheistic religions of the world. Thusly, the fear of being ostracized, separated from the righteous, from the “good ones” is deeply ingrained in many people's minds, even if they have long abandoned religion. Obedience, a commonly praised religious virtue, also contributes to our repulsion for “starting fights”, or “stirring the waters”. Second, the idea of sameness has long predated all the unintelligent “red scare” type media creations. The primitive understanding of individual differences is present in many, if not most anthropological finds; however, previous generations' homogeneity due to the lack of exposure to diversity cannot be denied. Human conditions in many ways dictate their tolerance levels; the more one is exposed to variation, the less difficult it becomes for one to come to terms with it. However, the somewhat primordial fear of the unknown may lead to hostility towards divergence, to the naive desire for all to agree about all; and so the childish fright in front of the vast, unfathomable multiplicity of the world and its people can lead us to eschew the slightest dissent. Third, the relentless trauma that is perpetuated by one generation after the other. When one grows in the environment where safety is lacking, where one's own dignity is continuously compromised, where the unsteady winds of affection and abhorrence are rampantly rotated; one cannot fully comprehend what constitutes healthy boundaries, normative conflict, the usual hiccups of human interaction. So one may be brought up to fear the antagonism in any of its forms. Hence comes my preliminary conclusion. Education, vigorous strive for the betterment of oneself and others, unconditional provision for basic human needs, all of these may remedy the aforementioned ailments of the modern human strife. If we are situated in mind-stimulating conditions, certain of our human wholesomeness, unafraid to indulge in a true pursuit of enriching humanity's body of wisdom, the fear of conflict and aversion to disagreeableness will fade away, as unnecessary remnants of the past.