It's intellectually avoidable, but I don't think it's emotionally avoidable. Any plan to deal with it or resist it is going to have to account for that.
I don't think the root of the problem is intellectual. I think the root of the problem is the insecurity and fear and grief that causes the desire to blame something--anything--even when that thing has to be imagined.
I do think motivated people are taking advantage of that instinct and using it to drive people apart, encouraging them to blame -isms, and the problem can be addressed at that level too, but if we could somehow clear up the fear and sadness that drive people to look to anger as the easier emotion, those opportunists would be wanting the requisite opportunity.
I don't think the root of the problem is intellectual. I think the root of the problem is the insecurity and fear and grief that causes the desire to blame something--anything--even when that thing has to be imagined.
I do think motivated people are taking advantage of that instinct and using it to drive people apart, encouraging them to blame -isms, and the problem can be addressed at that level too, but if we could somehow clear up the fear and sadness that drive people to look to anger as the easier emotion, those opportunists would be wanting the requisite opportunity.