The de-civilising effect of identity politics.
I am first and foremost a human being. I do not wish to be identified by lesser characteristics such as gender, political or religious persuasion, race, sexual orientation or any other characteristic. I am a human being. All human beings should be treated, and treat one another, with respect for their shared humanity. No-one should be made to feel humiliated, unequal or degraded because of their differences, whether it be sexual orientation, skin colour, political persuasion, religious affiliation or any other contrived identifier.
Most interpersonal offences could be avoided by the practise of good manners. As Edmund Burke said: “Manners are of more importance than laws. Manners are what vex or soothe, corrupt or purify, exalt or debase, barbarize or refine us, by a constant, steady, uniform, insensible operation, like that of the air we breathe in.” Unfortunately, when manners fail, the only recourse is to law. This has a side effect of magnifying differences through categorising people according to a legally protected characteristic, instead of minimising differences through reference to, and reliance on, our common humanity as sufficient reason for decency and equality of treatment.
Common courtesy towards all, based on our shared humanity, would go a long way towards healing the artificial divisions that have been seeded by those who seek conquest through division.