Human beings are the most dominant force on the planet because of our ability to create and buy into unifying abstract ideas such as money, nations and religions.
These things are purely subjective but our psychological commitment makes them real.
We are brought up in societies where every person around us, every ritual and action, plus all the edifices, reinforces the myth and unifies the population into believing the story.
There is a god in heaven. We know this even though we have never seen him, because all our family believe it, the community all come together to makes sacrifices, perform rituals, feasts, ceremonies and offerings, and there are strict dietary requirements to conform to, dress codes to follow and daily prayers, and there are huge temples, synagogues, cathedrals and mosques all built in his name. Why would anybody commit such huge resources over hundreds of generations if it wasn’t true?
Every day we are regaled with tales of heaven and hell in great detail. These tales are so intricate, so lavish, so universally accepted that it must be true. So we commit to the story and become part of the myth. We pass it on to our children.
Likewise with nations. We buy into the patriotic myth of an artificially produced country that was invented by people. It protects us, gives us opportunities, rights and freedoms and we believe it is better than other countries because we have bought into the myth of its greatness. Along with everyone else we stand for our anthem, salute the flag and say our pledge of allegiance. We buy into the myth of its shared history, past glories, heroic struggles, the sacrifice of its heroes, the endurance of its citizens and the unique attributes of its people. These attributes, usually racially founded, give our nation supremacy over others.
Then there’s money.