Supremacy, Disconnection, and the Machinery of Conflict

HOW IDEAS OF SUPERIORITY AND Disconnection FUEL WARS, INJUSTICES, AND SOCIETAL DIVIDES

​Throughout history, societies have been plagued by a cycle of wars, systemic injustices, and social divides. In my opinion, the root causes of these recurring issues reveal two underlying forces: supremacy and disconnection. 

We must recognize that there are those who encourage and sustain these forces (“architects”) and that there are those who fall victim to the tactics and actions of these architects.

Supremacy - the belief in one group's inherent superiority over another - has driven conquest, subjugation, and the formation of oppressive regimes. Disconnection - the deliberate or circumstantial separation of one group from another - fosters ignorance, fear, and often, eventual violence. Both forces feed each other in a self-sustaining loop of misunderstanding and hate amongst communities at the direction of the “architects”. This has been the way of the world for centuries. 

Examples throughout history and across the world easily show that the twin evils of supremacy and disconnection have fueled some of humanity's darkest chapters.

The Crusades: Europe and the Middle East

Europe in the 11th century found itself in a politically fragmented state with local rulers vying for power. However, the call to the Crusades - a series of religious wars between Christians and Muslims - united much of the continent under a single banner, fueled by the notion of religious supremacy. The First Crusade began in 1096, backed by Pope Urban II’s call for European Christians to reclaim the Holy Land. This notion of religious superiority, coupled with ignorance of Middle Eastern societies, sowed the seeds for generations of violent conflict.

The Crusaders, often lacking basic knowledge of the Islamic world and its peoples, saw themselves as righteous warriors against a faith they considered inferior and evil. This disconnection from the Muslim population fostered widespread atrocities, including the massacre of thousands in Jerusalem. Ultimately, the Crusades strengthened divisions, leaving a legacy of distrust between the West and the Islamic world, rooted in the idea that one group’s beliefs and way of life were superior to another’s.

The Atlantic Slave Trade and Colonialism: Europe, Africa, and the Americas

The transatlantic slave trade stands as a profound example of how notions of supremacy can lead to unimaginable cruelty. For centuries, Europeans justified the enslavement of Africans based on racial superiority. Africans were viewed as lesser beings, an idea rooted in disconnection from African societies and cultures. European colonial powers crafted a dehumanizing narrative that justified not only the capture and trade of African people but also their treatment as property rather than humans. This narrative of racial hierarchy created a society where the exploitation of one race was not only permissible but seen as a civic duty.

The disconnection was stark: Europeans knew little about African societies beyond what suited their economic interests, and they showed little interest in understanding more. This lack of empathy and awareness allowed Europeans to treat the African continent as a resource, and African people as commodities. Colonial policies further entrenched these divides; as colonial rule often sought to suppress local cultures in favor of European ideals. The result was a legacy of racial and social divides that persist today across Africa, Europe, and the Americas.

Japan’s Empire-Building

In the early 20th century, Japan began to build a powerful empire across Asia, driven by a belief in its own racial and cultural superiority. The ideology of “Hakko Ichiu” - the idea of uniting the world under Japanese rule - reflected this sense of supremacy. Japan’s leadership saw themselves as destined to lead Asia, and saw the rest of the continent as inferior and in need of “civilization” under Japanese guidance. This belief laid the groundwork for a brutal expansionist campaign that began in earnest with the invasion of Manchuria in 1931.

Disconnection fueled this expansionist policy. Japanese propaganda painted China, Korea, and other Asian nations as backward and culturally stagnant. This view justified not only military conquest but also widespread atrocities, including the infamous Nanjing Massacre, where Japanese soldiers slaughtered and brutalized civilians. The sense of Japanese supremacy, coupled with a willful ignorance of the cultures they were attempting to conquer, created a toxic environment where unspeakable acts were rationalized under the guise of national progress.

Nazi Germany and the Holocaust

Perhaps no example in history demonstrates the deadly power of supremacy and disconnection more than the Holocaust. Nazi ideology was rooted in a belief in Aryan racial superiority. This viewpoint justified the systemic extermination of millions of Jews, Romani people, disabled individuals, and others deemed “undesirable.” Adolf Hitler’s regime promoted a worldview where the Germanic race was superior, and other groups were not only inferior but dangerous, poisoning German society.

The Nazis maintained a deliberate disconnection from Jewish communities, painting them as foreign and insidious. Through propaganda, Jews were stripped of their humanity in the public eye, portrayed as vermin and existential threats. This disconnection was crucial to garnering widespread support for the horrors that followed; without empathy or understanding, the German public could more easily accept, or at least ignore, the atrocities being committed. The Holocaust stands as a reminder of how supremacy and disconnection can lead to systemic, state-sponsored genocide.

The United States: Slavery, Jim Crow, and Systemic Racism

In the United States, the belief in white supremacy created a foundation for slavery and later institutionalized racial discrimination. African Americans, from the days of slavery through the era of Jim Crow, were seen as inherently inferior to white Americans. This belief justified not only enslavement but also segregation and economic disenfranchisement. The social and economic disconnection between black and white communities allowed white Americans to ignore or rationalize the injustices faced by African Americans.

The legacy of supremacy is still evident today in the United States. The “War on Drugs” disproportionately targeted black communities, reinforcing a narrative of black criminality. The ongoing struggle for racial equality in America is a testament to how deeply ingrained and damaging the ideologies of supremacy and disconnection can be. When one group believes itself inherently superior and remains disconnected from the reality of another group’s experiences, the result is a society where injustice can flourish unchecked.

South Africa: Apartheid and the Racial Divide

South Africa’s apartheid system exemplifies how supremacy and disconnection can shape and distort an entire society. Established in 1948, apartheid was a system of institutionalized racial segregation that favored the white minority at the expense of the black majority. Under apartheid, black South Africans were denied political rights, restricted to specific areas, and subjected to inferior education and healthcare. White South Africans, convinced of their superiority, saw these policies as necessary to “preserve civilization.”

Disconnection reinforced these attitudes. The apartheid regime went to great lengths to keep black and white communities separated, reducing the likelihood that individuals would challenge their prejudices. By maintaining this social divide, apartheid leaders were able to sustain an oppressive system for decades. It was only through the eventual dismantling of these barriers, and the increased awareness of the injustices suffered by black South Africans, that the nation was able to begin the long process of healing and reconciliation.

Chinese Dynasties

Over the past three centuries, China has wielded the twin forces of supremacy and disconnection to expand and consolidate its influence, both within its borders and abroad. The Qing Dynasty (1644-1912) was instrumental in establishing a belief in Chinese cultural supremacy, solidifying the notion of the “Middle Kingdom” at the heart of global civilization. This concept fueled a policy of assimilation and domination over diverse ethnic regions, including Tibet, Xinjiang, and Mongolia. By positioning Han Chinese culture as superior and enforcing it upon minority groups, the Qing Dynasty set the precedent for a hierarchical social structure that still resonates today. The dynasty’s approach fostered a sense of disconnect between the dominant Han culture and other ethnic groups, using a blend of military power, political coercion, and strategic assimilation to maintain control over these territories.

In modern times, China’s expansion of economic, political, and cultural influence, particularly through initiatives like the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), has continued to reflect these principles of supremacy and disconnection. By investing heavily in infrastructure projects across Asia, Africa, and even parts of Europe, China has positioned itself as an indispensable economic powerhouse while maintaining a controlled narrative about its intentions. This economic supremacy creates dependency, allowing China to exert influence over foreign governments and populations. Meanwhile, by controlling information within its borders and carefully curating its global image, China has built a disconnection between its internal reality and the international perception it projects. This gap between perception and reality allows China to expand its reach under the guise of partnership while obscuring internal issues, such as human rights abuses in Xinjiang, where the same disconnection and assertion of supremacy have allowed systemic repression to persist largely unchecked.

Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza

Israel’s policies in the West Bank and Gaza reveal a complex blend of supremacy and disconnection, particularly in how they shape interactions with Palestinian communities. Settlement expansion in the West Bank, for instance, reflects a hierarchical approach to territorial rights. Since the 1967 Six-Day War, Israel has facilitated the growth of Jewish settlements on land internationally recognized as Palestinian territory. Today, over 400,000 Israelis live in the West Bank, with infrastructure and resources prioritizing these communities over neighboring Palestinian villages. The Israeli legal system applies different laws to settlers and Palestinians, with settlers governed by Israeli civil law while Palestinians fall under military law. This dual legal system, criticized by human rights organizations, exemplifies a tiered approach that privileges Israeli settlers and marginalizes Palestinian residents, fostering resentment and reinforcing the idea of an unequal hierarchy.

The construction of the separation barrier, or "security wall," further illustrates Israel's use of disconnection to manage and control Palestinian populations. Built in the early 2000s during the Second Intifada, Israel argues that the barrier is a necessary security measure to prevent attacks. However, its route extends well into the West Bank, encircling some Palestinian towns and restricting their movement, effectively isolating them from both Israel and other Palestinian areas. Palestinians often require permits to cross checkpoints for work, healthcare, and education, complicating daily life and deepening physical and social divides. The blockade on Gaza since 2007 also exemplifies enforced separation, as Israel tightly controls the movement of goods and people, leading to severe economic and humanitarian issues. This enforced disconnection has limited economic opportunities and isolated Palestinian communities, entrenching divisions and perpetuating the conflict by preventing meaningful engagement and mutual understanding between Israelis and Palestinians.

United Arabia

Arab countries have historically used supremacy to consolidate power and create a shared identity, often through the lens of pan-Arabism, which sought to unify Arab nations under a single cultural and political ideology. This vision, most notably championed by Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser in the 1950s and 1960s, emphasized the supremacy of Arab unity and identity over Western or foreign influence. Nasser promoted the idea that Arabs were distinct from the West and were uniquely capable of leading their own regional and political future. The United Arab Republic (UAR) - a political union between Egypt and Syria in 1958 - was one expression of this ideology. Although it ultimately dissolved after just three years, it showcased how the concept of Arab supremacy was used to promote unification efforts. However, the pan-Arabist ideology also marginalized non-Arab ethnic groups within Arab countries, such as the Kurds in Iraq and Syria, who faced persecution for seeking cultural recognition and autonomy outside the Arab identity.

Disconnection has also been strategically employed within Arab states to manage sectarian divides and suppress dissent. For example, Iraq under Saddam Hussein maintained power by promoting Sunni supremacy, alienating and oppressing the Shia majority and Kurdish minority. This selective disconnection fostered deep mistrust and division within Iraq, ultimately contributing to violent sectarian conflict that erupted after Saddam's regime ended. In Bahrain, a Sunni monarchy rules over a predominantly Shia population, employing disconnection and repression to maintain control. The government has restricted Shia political participation and suppressed protests, deepening the rift between the ruling elite and the Shia community. These examples show how Arab states have leveraged both supremacy and disconnection, often reinforcing internal divides to maintain political stability, but at the cost of long-term societal cohesion and peace.
 
India's caste system 

India’s historical use of supremacy and disconnection is evident in its caste system, which has shaped Indian society for millennia by establishing a rigid social hierarchy. Rooted in ancient Hindu texts, the caste system classifies people into distinct groups, with Brahmins (priests) at the top and Dalits (formerly known as “untouchables”) at the bottom. This system of supremacy perpetuated social and economic stratification, with upper castes enjoying privileges in education, land ownership, and religious authority, while lower castes were confined to menial jobs and faced social exclusion. For example, during British colonial rule in the 19th century, the caste system was codified in British censuses and reinforced by the colonial administration, which exploited these divides to maintain control. This institutionalized supremacy created lasting disparities that continued to disadvantage lower castes even after India’s independence in 1947, despite subsequent legal reforms aimed at promoting equality.
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In modern India, disconnection remains evident in religious and ethnic divides, which have been politically leveraged to consolidate power and maintain social order. The 1947 Partition of India and Pakistan, which led to one of the largest mass migrations in history, left deep-seated religious divides between Hindus and Muslims, with the newly established borders fostering disconnection. This division has continued to influence politics, with some leaders using Hindu nationalist rhetoric to create an “us versus them” mentality. For instance, the Babri Masjid incident in 1992, where Hindu extremists demolished a historic mosque claiming it was the birthplace of the Hindu god Ram, intensified Hindu-Muslim tensions across India. More recently, policies like the 2019 Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) have been criticized for marginalizing Muslims by offering citizenship to non-Muslim refugees from neighboring countries, exacerbating the sense of religious disconnection and inequality. This manipulation of supremacy and disconnection highlights how India’s historical and political dynamics continue to shape societal divides, often with destabilizing consequences.


Lessons Learned: The Path Toward Unity and Justice

History shows us that when one group views itself as superior and remains disconnected from others, the result is conflict, division, and often, atrocities. The antidote to these forces is empathy, understanding, and connection.

​In today’s world, technology has given us the means to bridge gaps between cultures and communities, yet the forces of supremacy and disconnection still linger in various forms. Recognizing these forces, learning from history, and actively working to connect with one another are crucial steps toward building a just and unified society.
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In acknowledging the role of supremacy and disconnection in historical atrocities, we can work to create a future where understanding, rather than dominance, guides our interactions. Let history serve not only as a record of our past mistakes but also as a beacon for a more equitable world.

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