The Oldest Lie: How ‘Us Versus Them’ Has Poisoned the Human Soul

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From the moment humans began organizing into tribes, the lie of "us versus them" took root, twisting civilizations into cycles of division and conflict. This insidious belief that one group is inherently superior to another has fueled countless wars, genocides, and discrimination. The lie persists because it’s simple, seductive, and easy to exploit. It divides us by race, religion, nationality, and class—and in doing so, it blinds us to our shared humanity.

The first echoes of this lie began as early as 10,000 BCE, during the rise of agriculture. Settlements formed, and territoriality became a matter of survival. Tribes began identifying themselves not by what they shared with others, but by what set them apart. "Us" became those inside the village walls, and "them" were the outsiders. Fear of the unknown, of those who were different, cemented the lie. Leaders seized it, knowing that fear could unite their people under a single banner.

Fast forward to ancient Mesopotamia, where the Akkadians conquered the Sumerians around 2300 BCE. Sargon of Akkad did not rise to power by fostering unity but by exploiting differences between the city-states, convincing them that those outside their borders were threats. His military strategy was to divide and conquer—destroy alliances, stir up rivalries, and pit neighboring civilizations against one another. The lie of "us versus them" became a tool of empire.

Centuries later, the Greeks and Persians clashed in the Greco-Persian Wars (499-449 BCE). The Greek city-states, despite their internal differences, banded together under the idea of Hellenic superiority. They framed the Persians as barbaric invaders, despite the vast cultural achievements of the Persian Empire. By defining themselves as enlightened and Persians as primitive, the Greeks justified violence and domination. The lie strengthened.

Then came the Roman Empire, master manipulators of the "us versus them" narrative. To Romans, non-citizens were barbarians—lesser beings who deserved conquest or annihilation. The lie was embedded in Roman law and culture. It fueled campaigns across Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, where Rome expanded its borders by stripping conquered peoples of their identities and assimilating them or wiping them out. In their minds, Rome was the height of civilization, and everyone else was expendable.

But the lie didn’t stop with empires. It took on a more sinister form in religious contexts. In the Crusades (1096-1291 CE), Christian leaders exploited religious differences to mobilize entire populations against the "infidel" Muslims. For nearly two centuries, millions died because religious leaders preached that those who didn’t believe in their god were inherently evil. "Us versus them" became a holy mandate, and entire regions were devastated as a result.

As European nations rose to power in the Age of Exploration (15th to 17th centuries), they embraced the lie on a global scale. Justifying colonialism, they labeled indigenous peoples as savage and inferior, ripe for subjugation. The Spanish Inquisition (1478-1834) fed into the same narrative, rooting out heresy and brutally silencing anyone who challenged the dominant Catholic worldview. It was during these centuries that "us versus them" became institutionalized in the form of race.

The Atlantic slave trade (16th to 19th centuries) is perhaps the most devastating manifestation of this lie. Europeans dehumanized Africans, convincing themselves—and their societies—that black bodies were tools to be exploited. Slavery flourished because the lie was economically advantageous. As long as one group believed they were inherently better, cruelty became not only permissible but profitable.

Fast forward to the 20th century, and you see the "us versus them" lie in its bloodiest incarnation: World War II. Nazi ideology hinged on the belief that Aryans were the master race and Jews, Roma, Slavs, and others were subhuman. The Holocaust, the systematic murder of six million Jews, was a direct result of this genocidal belief. Hitler didn’t invent the lie—he merely perfected it, wielding it to mobilize an entire nation toward unspeakable atrocities.

But the lie didn't die in the ashes of the Third Reich. It morphed and adapted. In the United States, Jim Crow laws (late 19th century through the 1960s) institutionalized racial division. The lie justified segregation and violence, tearing apart communities while maintaining white supremacy. It wasn’t just about race, though. "Us versus them" found new ways to split society—by class, by religion, and by nationality.

Even today, the lie thrives in politics. Leaders play on the fear of immigrants, portraying them as threats to jobs and security. Nationalism has surged in countries across the globe, from Europe to South America. "Us versus them" has become the rallying cry for those who seek to regain power by manipulating fear.

This lie has cost the human race dearly. It is the foundation of every war, every genocide, and every act of oppression. It preys on our insecurities, convincing us that those who look different, worship differently, or live differently are a threat. Yet, it persists because it offers an easy solution to complex problems. Why work to understand someone when it’s easier to cast them as "the other"?

History teaches us that the lie of "us versus them" doesn’t end. It evolves. It is whispered in political speeches, scrawled in propaganda, and embedded in policies. We must challenge it, not just by rejecting hate but by recognizing our shared humanity. Because the moment we stop believing in this lie, we can begin to rewrite history—not with division, but with unity.

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A World DividedPhoto byPMA