The natural response of the old-timers is to build a strong moral wall against the outside. This is where the world starts to be painted in black and white, saints inside, and sinners outside the wall.

Inequality can have a bad downside, but equality, for its part, sure does get in the way of coordination.

Just in our lifetime our society has become looser and more private, it becomes extremely difficult to hold to any permanent commitment whatever, least of all to organized religion.

If you want to change the culture, you will have to start by changing the organization.

Religion can make it worse. Are you supposing that if people were encouraged to believe in a transcendent reality, and to be encouraged by grand rituals and music and preaching, to love their neighbors, then they would put jealousy and frustration aside?

Hierarchy works well in a stable environment.

When we are reflecting on terrorism we can grieve for many things we do and have done.