Imagine a normal Tuesday morning in New York City. People are getting their coffee, heading to work in the two giant towers (World Trade Center North and South Towers) when suddenly, two commercial airline planes hit the buildings. Both towers crumble to dust, and 2,753 people die.😢 The culprits? An Islamic fundamentalist group known as al-Qaeda.

Think of the aftermath like a shaken ant nest. The US declares a War on Terror, invades Afghanistan to kick out the Taliban, and finally ends up killing Osama Bin Laden, al-Qaeda's boss.

While George Bush, the then President, saw an uptick in his approval ratings, there were also some ugly outcomes. Hate crimes against Muslims increased, despite Bush highlighting their valuable contributions to America. This, folks, is how an 'outgroup' emerged - a group perceived as different from one's own. 

Now imagine being mistaken for a member of this 'outgroup.' That's what happened to Sikhs, who, due to their turbans, were often mistaken for Muslims, leading to unfortunate incidents like the fatal shooting of a Sikh man in Arizona.

Think of competition as two kids wanting the last piece of cake. Conflict, on the other hand, is when they start throwing punches to get it.

This rivalry over religious ideologies isn't new. Much like a dramatic reality TV show, we see it play out in media reports. No matter what happens, whether it's war, peace, tolerance, or prejudice, these events usually link back to the economic and political ambitions of the groups involved. 😮

Here's the catch: If both groups don't share the same goals, competition and conflict are more likely. If you and your best friend both want to win the school's top athlete award, there's bound to be a little tension.