Large populations are controlled by different algorithms to smaller groups.
Most societies are extremely unequal with a minority living in luxury while the majority toil. In order to maintain this imbalance without inducing revolution the society has to get the whole society to buy into a culture.
In a culture such as America it is the idea that all people can aspire to be rich and the rich deserve what they have. This is the American Dream. The poorest kid can rise to become President.
Coupled with this is the underlying idea that Americans are inherently better than everybody else and that America is the best country on the planet. Americans do things better, work harder, believe in better things and have a God-given right.
Most people in America buy into this dream. Through hard work and the will of God they can all aspire to become millionaires.
In order to demonstrate to each other that they are part of this illustrious group, called Americans, they adopt the dress code, salute the flag, go to church and give the pledge od allegiance.
In other countries religion is more of a unifying theme to money. They are promised reward in heaven for their contributions to society. Life on earth might be miserable but better things are to come – things that are denied all other people.
To show they buy into this vision the people demonstrate through their costume, rituals and language that they are adherents. Simply by wearing the hijabs, burqas and turbans and their greetings to each other they are signifying that they have bought into the message and are part of the group.
Rebellious behaviour (departing from norms of dress and behaviour) is apparently more tolerated in some countries, which falsely claim to be free, than in others. Many theocracies are indeed totally intolerant of deviation and punish it severely. The party line has to be abided by. An example of this can be found in the Maldives where every citizen has to be Muslim in order to live there.
In the USA they pride themselves on their individuality, freedom and tolerance, yet as we can see with the controversy over the NFL, any rebellion that shows disrespect to the sacred unifying force of the flag, pledge or anthem results in a huge furore. It reveals that the idea of freedom, individuality and tolerance is only skin deep. In reality American society is extremely conservative, conforming and intolerant.
However, whether it is the American Dream or religion that is being utilised, societies exert a tight control and rigid structure to protect the rights of the wealthy, powerful elites. This elite has developed an extensive surveillance network (against terrorism – under the guise of protecting the people), secret police and a control of the media. They are relentless in their pursuit of terrorists and revolutionaries and any people who may be a threat to free society – like communists. The media tells us repeatedly that these people wish to kill people and disrupt society; they need hounding out.
Whether it be Reds, Martin Luther King, the Black Panthers, Weathermen or Al Qaeda these dangerous infiltrators need rooting out and eradicating. They threaten the stability of society.