Factions

If you haven’t watched any of the Divergent movies and plan to watch them, know that this post contains some spoilers.


The Divergent movies take place in dystopian Chicago. It’s actually just part of modern day Chicago. This part of the city is walled off from the rest of the scorched earth. In this city factions based on their virtues are created to keep the peace. They are Abnegation the selfless, Dauntless the brave, Erudite the intelligent, Candor the honest, and Amity the peaceful. The people of each faction know their role in society. Once they are part of a faction, they cannot switch. If they leave, they are considered factionless and need to rely on the goodness of the people of Abnegation. 

At the age of sixteen, youth are tested to see what faction they are suited for. In a ceremony, these youth choose their faction. While most join the faction that the test shows they belong in, some choose a different faction. Remember that if they find they don’t really fit into the faction they choose, they cannot move into another one or they become factionless.

Abnegation is given the authority to rule since they will rule unselfishly. However the peace in Chicago breaks down when Erudite leaders conspire with the leaders of Dauntless to give power of rule to the Erudites. The members of Dauntless are “brainwashed” to take over the Abnegation part of the city and seek a relic which Erudite leaders believe will give them ultimate power. Ultimately having Chicago divided into factions did not keep the peace. It wasn’t until they had a group of leaders that the city could trust, and allowing the citizens to associate freely that peace was restored.

Our country, our world is divided into factions that are often encouraged by leaders. The common ties that kept our democracy strong and whole are being torn apart. The ties between us and our allies across the world are being challenged. Our way of life and peaceful transition in government is in jeopardy. We know that some protests have become violent or led to someone carrying out a violent act. Out of fear, police are sometimes quick to act in destructive ways. Terrorists for different causes feel free to act around the world.
​
Factions can never allow a nation to grow strong and peaceful. It seems our leaders have no problem creating factions and having them grow as long as it helps them be elected. The only way to stop the course we are on as a nation is for us as individual citizens to say enough. We will not fall for this rhetoric. We can put a check on our emotions and realize that factions will never make us stronger. It will only lead to more violence. What kind of future do you want for our nation, for our world?

---