THE GREATEST WALLS MADE BY HUMANS

It all began with fire a spark, a stick, and a thought. That moment marked the beginning of something new. humans not just surviving, but starting to shape the world around them. From caves to huts, tools to towns, and then to cities, we evolved. We built homes, made families, formed groups, and passed on beliefs.

And now, in the 21st century, we live in a world of glowing screens, fast roads, and tall buildings. But no matter how far we’ve come, one thing remains unchanged. we still see the world not just as it is, but as it appears through us.

At a college campus, between lecture halls and the canteen, students passed by in the middle of their everyday routines. One of them was Maya, who often sat alone on a bench during breaks. She wasn’t lonely just observant. And almost every day, she noticed the same girl walk by.

Anika. Quiet and neatly dressed, always looking composed. 

They had never spoken. But over time, Maya formed a picture in her mind. “She looks so put together. Probably not someone I’d talk to. She must be from a different world.” 

It wasn’t judgmental or emotional just a quiet assumption, built from a distance. Maya didn’t know Anika, but she believed she had figured her out.

Then came the lab session. Students were paired randomly, and Maya ended up with Anika. At first, things were formal and quiet focused on the task. But slowly, as they worked side by side, a few laughs and simple exchanges softened the space between them. Maya saw that Anika wasn’t cold or proud just thoughtful, soft-spoken, and kind. Anika, too, had insecurities about herself.

Maya's earlier thoughts faded. Not because she consciously changed her mindset, but because now Anika was no longer a stranger. She had entered Maya’s mental world not judged anymore, not distant, but quietly brought to her side.

Maya felt like she knew her now.

Not fully, but enough to say,

“She’s mine. She’s one of my kind.”

And that was enough to stop the assumptions for Anika.

But the habit didn’t end.

It just moved.

The next time Maya noticed someone new, unfamiliar, her mind began building a new picture. Not in anger or envy just naturally. That’s what often happens.

Once someone becomes “ours,” we stop questioning them.

But for every new face, we keep the same pattern ready to begin again.

Elsewhere on campus, a group of boys Group-A sat around after class, joking and teasing each other. Their friendship was loud and easy, full of inside jokes and shared stories.

Then, Group-B walked past. They were quieter, more serious in energy.

The moment the two groups saw each other, there was no argument just a subtle shift in the air.

Group A thought: There they go, always acting serious.

Group B thought: That group again always loud, always showing off.

They saw each other often, but they didn’t mix. No real conversations, just nods or glances. In both groups, quiet opinions formed not from interaction, but from assumption. Each saw the other through their own lens. Not based on facts, just feelings.

But one day, two boys one from each group missed their last bus. With no choice, they started walking together to the next stop. It was quiet at first. Then one made a casual comment. The other responded. They laughed. And soon, they were talking about everyday things, teachers, food, plans.

By the time they reached the stop, something had shifted.

They saw each other not as “the other side,” but just as two people, with more in common than they had imagined.

We may not always judge loudly, but we judge easily. And in most of those moments, the starting point is always the same.

Us. And Them.

The Wall.

But this way of thinking doesn’t stop with individuals or small groups.

We build walls in bigger ways too

Between men and women.

Between castes and communities.

Between languages and cultures.

Between races and identities.

Even within the same country, we draw lines

North Indian and South Indian.

Urban and rural.

Us and them.

We create borders between nations, and when those borders aren’t enough, we fight wars over them. We try to dominate to prove the superiority of our region, our religion, our people, our history.

And for what?

In the end, we all come from the same roots.

Our blood, our bones, our breath they all come from the same beginning.

We may speak different tongues, eat different foods, or live on different lands,

But we all belong to one species, with one shared origin.

Still, we divide.

Still, we compare.

Still, we push others away not just as strangers, but as something less than us.

Some sages and wise souls have said:

"That’s why I don’t like to live with human beings."

And what makes it even more complex is this

Even the gods we worship often reflect the same mindset.

Look at the First Commandment from Exodus in the Old Testament:

“I am the Lord thy God, thou shalt have no other gods before Me.”

Isn’t that also a kind of self-centeredness?

A divine version of “Only I matter. Others don’t.”

It feels familiar because it mirrors us.

Maybe it’s how we see the world.

Or maybe it’s how we made God look when we wrote about him.

This isn’t about blaming.

It’s not about disrespect.

It’s about wondering.

And being open enough to say

If I’m wrong, teach me.

If you disagree, I’m listening.

I’m not here to fight. I’m here to understand.

Because that’s the one thing missing in all the walls we build,

A conversation.

that creates harmony and understanding.