Title Origin

The site name comes from Federalist #10 written by James Madison in 1787:

A zeal for different opinions concerning religion, concerning government, and many other points, as well of speculation as of practice; an attachment to different leaders ambitiously contending for pre-eminence and power; or to persons of other descriptions whose fortunes have been interesting to the human passions, have in turn divided mankind into parties, inflamed them with mutual animosity, and rendered them much more disposed to vex and oppress each other, than to co-operate for their common good. So strong is this propensity of mankind to fall into mutual animosities, that where no substantial occasion presents itself, the most frivolous and fanciful distinctions have been sufficient to kindle their unfriendly passions, and excite their most violent conflicts.

While Eastern cultures often have direct ancestor worship, Western cultures have a more subtle type. The common belief that one’s ancestors were wiser and more more moral than ourselves. This belief has many forms – teenagers are having more sex tan previously , politicians are more dishonest, criminal more vicious, etc. We often hear the country is more politically divided than ever; apparently those making that claim forgot the Civil War. Incidentally the Civil War phrase itself is historical misleading, at the time the conflict was called a rebellion (think Johnny Reb);