Humans seem to have an innate distrust of others who are different. I believe this distrust - called xenophobia - is instinctive and has an evolutionary basis. I also believe that it is a threat to the survival of humanity, and can only be addressed by spiritual means.
Evolution consists of organisms finding new ways to survive and adapt to their environment. These methods are tested by competition, both between species and between members of the same species. Intra-species competition can be just as bloody and brutal as competition between species. For example, males of some species may fight to the death to secure the ability to mate with females. The stronger male will pass his DNA in this way to his offspring, ensuring that the traits that allowed him to defeat his opponent will be available to future generations. I have heard that a male lion who takes over a pride by battle will kill the male cubs sired by the opponent. This seems odd at first if we think of natural selection as occurring at the level of competition between species, but makes sense if evolution is seen as including a competition between individual DNA strains for dominance within a particular species.
Similarly, throughout human history and prehistory there has been war between different tribes or groups. It is no stretch to conclude that strangers - particularly groups of strangers - were seen in prehistoric times as threats to be expelled or destroyed. Xenophobia actually was a survival characteristic then, and it would be no surprise to find that a tendency to xenophobia is incorporated in our DNA as a tribal instinct. Moreover, it must be accepted as a possibility that the emergence of the thinking mind has permitted ego to bootstrap this instinct into a generalized fear and hatred of any people or groups that are different from those with which the individual identifies. This would help explain violence between adherents of different religions, for example.
The point of this discussion is that, whatever its origin, xenophobia is no longer a survival trait. Humanity has evolved beyond the ability to sustain tribalism, and survival is no longer tied to the ability to defend a narrow tract of ground. The instinct to attack and destroy others of our own species who look different, sound different, identify with different groups, or hold different beliefs, has become a liability. Our scientific knowledge has expanded far more rapidly than the spiritual tools that we need in order to use that knowledge responsibly. Our ability to destroy others (and ourselves in the process) has grown to the extent that there is a plausible argument that human intelligence will turn out to be a mistake of Nature, a self-destructive evolutionary dead end.
It has become increasingly clear over the last several decades that humanity will not survive much longer as a species unless all of our disparate members are able to live peaceably together. It is doubtful that we will be able to rid ourselves of the xenophobic instinct by evolutionary processes in the amount of time remaining to us. This is why a spiritual shift is needed.
A necessary step in the move away from being ruled by outmoded instinct is to be mindful of its expression in our thoughts, feelings, and behavior. If you hear yourself express a xenophobic sentiment, examine your reaction: Does that sentiment really express what you believe? Or is it a knee-jerk emotional response to an imaginary danger? When a negative feeling is triggered by the presence or even the mention of another race, religion, or nationality, choose the appropriate response by reference to your well-thought-out values and principles, not to the visceral response of your animal brain.
Few if any of us actually believe that every member of a different religion or social group is a threat to us or to our society. It is only because of the defensive reaction of our prehistoric DNA that we fear these differences. If we are mindful of what we say and think - take time to pause before speaking or acting - and examine our propensities in the light of what we know to be true, rather than the fears of our lizard brains, we will learn quickly to control our own xenophobic reactions. If we control the reactions, then disarming the fear that triggers them is a simple and inevitable next step.
Many spiritual leaders, including the Dalai Lama and Eckhart Tolle, to name only two, have called for children to be educated in mindfulness, meditation, and compassion. To take that a step further, those of us who are already adults must also train ourselves to be guided by principles of Love and compassion in every aspect of life. This does not mean we need to change the form of our society; compassionate principles are fully compatible with all forms of democratic societies. It does mean that we should act with due regard for the effects of our actions on others; and that we should realize that, in today's world, the good of one is the good of all. Humanity needs a sea change, if not overnight, then over the course of a generation. Each of us has the responsibility to initiate that change in our own lives, the lives of our children, and, by example, the lives of those around us. This is the new survival imperative.
