EOLC dispatch - Is Conflict in Our DNA? Tribalism, Scarcity, Death, Dying and Collective Grief

Send us Fan MailWe keep watching the same pattern repeat: wars, political division, cultural breakdown, and families fractured over ideology. Many of us quietly ask, “Why can’t humans just stop fighting?” There’s exhaustion in the air. A sense that the world is locked in permanent conflict.And beneath the headlines, many of us feel something personal: anxiety, grief, helplessness, even shame for not knowing what to do. If you work in death-positive spaces or support grieving people, you’ve likely felt how global conflict leaks into individual loss.You are not wrong to feel worn down by it. You are not naïve for wishing it would stop.What if the issue isn’t that humans love violence? What if conflict is often a maladaptive survival strategy rooted in fear, scarcity, and tribal wiring? Much of what we call hatred may actually be unprocessed grief and threat response. Scarcity beliefs, protection of “our people,” and fear of death can activate ancient survival instincts.Instead of asking, “Why are humans so terrible?” we might ask, “What are humans afraid of losing?”This shift doesn’t excuse harm. But it helps us understand the emotional architecture underneath it.In this weekly dispatch episode we'll discuss:- The Evolutionary Roots of Tribalism and Conflict (Why humans divide into “us vs them”)- Scarcity Mindset and Fear of Death (How fear and survival anxiety drive power struggles)- Collective Grief and Generational Trauma from War (How unprocessed loss fuels ongoing cycles of conflict)By the end of this episode, we’re not just going to understand why humans fight. We’re going to explore how recognizing collective grief changes the way we show up in our families, our communities, and even in moments of disagreement. There are practical ways to interrupt the cycle in small, meaningful spaces.Stay with us, because the shift from conflict to awareness begins closer to home than we think.Support the showWe very much want to hear your thoughts. Please join us on Substack for our community chat.This podcast helps anyone dealing with loss. It can guide you with end-of-life planning and death-positive resources. Check out our introductory episode to learn more about Annalouiza, Wakil, and our vision/mission to normalize and destigmatize conversations about death, dying, grief, and loss.You can find us on SubStack, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and BlueSky. You are also invited to subscribe to support us financially. Anyone who supports us at any level will have access to Premium content, special online meet-ups, and one-on-one time with Annalouiza or Wakil.And we would love your feedback and want to hear your stories. You can email us at [email protected] want to be transparent that we use AI tools to help us with titles, show notes, editing, and introductions....