--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Look at all the conflict between tribes…" description: "\"Look at all the conflict between tribes, nations, and religions. They need their enemies, because they provide the sense of separateness on which their..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/20d/eckhart-tolle-81_collectives_look-at-all-the-conflict-between-tribes_1565083.jpg" --- # Look at all the conflict between tribes, nations, and… ![“Look at all the conflict between tribes, nations, and religions. They need their enemies, because they provide the sense of separateness on which their collective egoic identity depends.” quote by Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/20d/eckhart-tolle-81_collectives_look-at-all-the-conflict-between-tribes_1565083.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/20d/eckhart-tolle-81_collectives_look-at-all-the-conflict-between-tribes_1565083.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/20d/eckhart-tolle-81_collectives_look-at-all-the-conflict-between-tribes_1565083.jpg) > “Look at all the conflict between tribes, nations, and religions. They need their enemies, because they provide the sense of separateness on which their collective egoic identity depends.” [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Group identities thrive on perceived enemies, which reinforce a collective ego and sense of separateness. **In simple terms:** Enemies reinforce group identity. Key Takeaway Question the need for an enemy. Themes identity ego division Mood thoughtful critical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - political campaigns - religious discourse - team building - online forums Key Concepts social psychology philosophy Questions to Reflect On - What would happen if we embraced shared humanity? - How can we foster unity without erasing differences? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on enemies can blind groups to common humanity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Conflict](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conflict/) [Enemy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enemy/) [Identity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/identity/) [Nations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nations/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Separateness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/separateness/) [Tribes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tribes/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [Our most valuable teachers are our enemies.While our friends can help us in many ways, only our enemies can provide us with the challenge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/our-most-valuable-teachers-are-our-enemies-while-our-friends-can-help/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [It is our enemies who provide us with the challenge we need to develop the qualities of tolerance, patience and compassion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/it-is-our-enemies-who-provide-us-with-the-challenge-we-need-to/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [Our enemies provide us with a precious opportunity to practice patience and love. We should have gratitude toward them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/our-enemies-provide-us-with-a-precious-opportunity-to-practice/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [There are some people who always seem angry and continuously look for conflict. Walk away from these people. The battle there are fighting isnt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-are-some-people-who-always-seem-angry-and-continuously-look-for-2/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You look the conflict with your ego & i look the same conflict with thought.Your ego never gives me a second chance..we are left…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gopichand-lagadapati/you-look-the-conflict-with-your-ego-i-look-the-same-conflict-with/) [Gopichand Lagadapati](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gopichand-lagadapati/) > [If you want peace, look for it where it is, not in conflict.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-cohen/if-you-want-peace-look-for-it-where-it-is-not-in-conflict/) [Alan Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-cohen/) > [There are some people who always seem angry and continuously look for conflict. Walk away from these people. The battle they're are fighting isn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-are-some-people-who-always-seem-angry-and-continuously-look-for/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The other more serious reason for the illusion of separateness is compulsive thinking. It is when we are trapped in incessant streams of compulsive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/the-other-more-serious-reason-for-the-illusion-of-separateness-is/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [At the deepest level, an 'open heart' is spacious presence, in which the sense of separateness between yourself and the 'other' dissolves and there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/at-the-deepest-level-an-open-heart-is-spacious-presence-in-which-the/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [When this delusion of utter separateness underlies and governs whatever I think, say, and do, what kind of world do I create?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/when-this-delusion-of-utter-separateness-underlies-and-governs/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [“Surrender — the letting go of mental-emotional resistance to what is — also becomes a portal into the Unmanifested. The reason for this is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/surrender-the-letting-go-of-mental-emotional-resistance-to-what-is/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [Never explain yourself: Your friends don't need it and your enemies won't believe it. But don't let anyone kick you down, and if they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/never-explain-yourself-your-friends-don-t-need-it-and-your-enemies-2/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [All governments need enemies. How else to justify their existence?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-abbey/all-governments-need-enemies-how-else-to-justify-their-existence/) [Edward Abbey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-abbey/) > [Never explain yourself. Your friends don't need it and your enemies won't believe it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ziad-k-abdelnour/never-explain-yourself-your-friends-don-t-need-it-and-your-enemies/) [Ziad K. Abdelnour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ziad-k-abdelnour/) > [Never explain yourself. Your friends dont need it and your enemies wont believe it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/never-explain-yourself-your-friends-dont-need-it-and-your-enemies/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) ## More by Eckhart Tolle > [“The voice in the head that never stops speaking becomes a civilization that is obsessed with form and therefore knows nothing of the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/the-voice-in-the-head-that-never-stops-speaking-becomes-a/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [Thinking, or more precisely identification with thinking, gives rise to and maintains the ego, which, in our Western society in particular, is out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/thinking-or-more-precisely-identification-with-thinking-gives-rise-to/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [“A powerful spiritual practice is consciously to allow the diminishment of ego when it happens without attempting to restore it. I recommend that you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/a-powerful-spiritual-practice-is-consciously-to-allow-the/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [To become aware of the subtlety of nature you need to be alert. The moment you become alert you become still... thinking subsides. That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/to-become-aware-of-the-subtlety-of-nature-you-need-to-be-alert-the/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [When you are not honoring the present moment by allowing it to be, you are creating drama.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/when-you-are-not-honoring-the-present-moment-by-allowing-it-to-be-you/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [On a deeper level you are already complete. When you realize that, there is a joyous energy behind what you do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/on-a-deeper-level-you-are-already-complete-when-you-realize-that/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [Life will give you whatever experience is most helpful for the evolution of your consciousness. How do you know this is the experience you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/life-will-give-you-whatever-experience-is-most-helpful-for-the/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [You may not yet be able to bring your unconscious mind activity into awareness as thoughts, but it will always be reflected in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/you-may-not-yet-be-able-to-bring-your-unconscious-mind-activity-into/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [“War is a mind-set, and all action that comes out of such a mind-set will either strengthen the enemy, the perceived evil, or, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/war-is-a-mind-set-and-all-action-that-comes-out-of-such-a-mind-set/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [Whenever you step out of the noise of thinking, that is meditation, and a different state of consciousness arises.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/whenever-you-step-out-of-the-noise-of-thinking-that-is-meditation-and/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [Get the inside right, and the outside will take care of itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/get-the-inside-right-and-the-outside-will-take-care-of-itself/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [It is very hard to tell when I started to be a spiritual teacher. There was a time when occasionally somebody would come and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/it-is-very-hard-to-tell-when-i-started-to-be-a-spiritual-teacher/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [Most people spend their entire life imprisoned within the confines of their own thoughts. They never go beyond a narrow, mind-made, personalized sense of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/most-people-spend-their-entire-life-imprisoned-within-the-confines-of/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [Let the end of the world be inside you, then you don't need to fear the end of the world out there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/let-the-end-of-the-world-be-inside-you-then-you-don-t-need-to-fear/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [“Jeste li zabrinuti? Razmišljate li često: »Što bi bilo da sam...?« To znači da ste se poistovjetili s umom, koji se projicira u neku…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/jeste-li-zabrinuti-razmi-ljate-li-esto-to-bi-bilo-da-sam-to-zna-i-da/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) [Explore all 1,493 Eckhart Tolle quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) ## More Collectives quotes > [Where I grew up, learning was a collective activity. But when I got to school and tried to share learning with other students that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-giroux/where-i-grew-up-learning-was-a-collective-activity-but-when-i-got-to/) [Henry Giroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-giroux/) > [As in any machine, all the wires must be connected to the mains through one main wire. In the same way, you all must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nirmala-srivastava/as-in-any-machine-all-the-wires-must-be-connected-to-the-mains/) [Nirmala Srivastava](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nirmala-srivastava/) > [What is accurately portrayed is the rich humanity not just of Martin Luther King but of the movement, which was a multiracial movement. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornel-west/what-is-accurately-portrayed-is-the-rich-humanity-not-just-of-martin/) [Cornel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornel-west/) > [It clearly follows that to make men moral it is necessary to make their social environment moral. And that can be done in only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mikhail-bakunin/it-clearly-follows-that-to-make-men-moral-it-is-necessary-to-make/) [Mikhail Bakunin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mikhail-bakunin/) > [There is a way in which the collective knowledge of mankind expresses itself, for the finite individual, through mere daily living . . .…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurens-van-der-post/there-is-a-way-in-which-the-collective-knowledge-of-mankind-expresses/) [Laurens van der Post](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurens-van-der-post/) > [The law is the collective organization of the individual's right to lawful defense of his life, liberty and property. When it is used for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-bastiat/the-law-is-the-collective-organization-of-the-individual-s-right-to/) [Frederic Bastiat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-bastiat/) > [But we need to be very clear: because of our decades of collective denial, no gradual, incremental options are now available to us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-klein/but-we-need-to-be-very-clear-because-of-our-decades-of-collective/) [Naomi Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-klein/) > [A “collective” mind does not exist. It is merely the sum of endless numbers of individual minds. If we have an endless number of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/a-collective-mind-does-not-exist-it-is-merely-the-sum-of-endless/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [Through Sahaja Yoga what happens to you, that you become a collective personality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nirmala-srivastava/through-sahaja-yoga-what-happens-to-you-that-you-become-a-collective/) [Nirmala Srivastava](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nirmala-srivastava/) > [If you don't allow people to contribute, to offer their point of view, or to criticize what has been put before them, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/if-you-don-t-allow-people-to-contribute-to-offer-their-point-of-view/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [“The whole organization seemed to be in free fall, indulging in a collective fantasy in which experienced colleagues refused to admit that their every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-whole-organization-seemed-to-be-in-free-fall-indulging-in-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We seem to have lost contact with the earlier, more profound functions of art, which have always had to do with personal and collective…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-london/we-seem-to-have-lost-contact-with-the-earlier-more-profound-functions/) [Peter London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-london/) > [If you need someone to come out of the sewer with a wire you don't hire someone who needs laborious collective instruction. You let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-monahan/if-you-need-someone-to-come-out-of-the-sewer-with-a-wire-you-don-t/) [William Monahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-monahan/) > [For all the civilians saved thanks to the presence of peacekeepers, there have been those who were lost - the United Nations personnel who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jan-eliasson/for-all-the-civilians-saved-thanks-to-the-presence-of-peacekeepers/) [Jan Eliasson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jan-eliasson/) > [Man, in the collective sense, is the hero of science. Man, in the collective sense, is the hero of Earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacque-fresco/man-in-the-collective-sense-is-the-hero-of-science-man-in-the/) [Jacque Fresco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacque-fresco/) Browse all 1,039 Collectives quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Look at all the conflict between tribes, nations, and religions. 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