For much of the postwar era, the West operated on a quiet but powerful assumption: that shared humanity would, over time, bridge even the deepest political and cultural divides. It was not always stated explicitly, but it shaped everything from diplomacy to activism. Since people fundamentally want the same things—peace, dignity, stability—the logic implies that conflict can eventually be softened through dialogue, empathy, and goodwill.

No cultural figure captured that optimism more vividly than John Lennon. “All You Need Is Love” was not simply a song; it was a worldview. It suggested that human connection could transcend ideology and history. Even more explicitly, “Imagine” envisioned a world without borders, without competing national loyalties, without the structures that so often divide us. It was a powerful and appealing vision.

But it rested on an assumption that has proven far less universal than many had hoped.

In the decades that followed, this outlook influenced major social movements and political thinking across the West. It helped energize efforts toward civil........

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)