From the perspective of territorialism, any element which cannot be controlled is an imminent threat. Unlimited possibility is the very antithesis of territory. The ongoing system of earthly dominion by way of "civilization" is based on the management of limited resources - whatever they may be at a given time. Anything which is unlimited in scope is something from another world entirely. This is deeply disturbing to the world which is based on control of limited territory and ownership of limited property. An unlimited resource with unlimited capacity for utility would be inherently destabilizing to such a system. For those who are slaves to the will of territorialism, it is the alien threat from beyond which has the power to destroy their world. Its nature of infinitely perpetual motion means that it can never be relegated to a status of limited quantity... which can then be considered as an object of property to be commodified and marketed.
Definition of identity is the territorialism of the psyche. The mind which stakes claims upon a certain defining concept as being "me" is the same mind which feels any threat to this area as a matter of survival. It responds in that way without even being aware of the impulse which motivates it. In other words, it reacts unconsciously. This reactive blind spot is the basis for further defining the sense of self as a separate being from everything and everyone else because the awareness of interconnection is absent. The self-image (or the sense of separate self) is the only place where hypocrisy can be born. If sufficient awareness of interconnection is present, identity itself becomes ineffective in the operative sense because the boundaries on which it depends on are no longer impermeable. It ceases to have the separation which allows cause and effect to be seen as unrelated.
As the most effective use of purely reactive action requires no thought, no consideration, no empathy, but is instead often hindered by such things; the self-image is a closed mechanical system which runs perfectly well in complete unconsciousness. It becomes the second nature. All threats to the survival of this unconscious system are regarded as the terror of death, which is the most effective motivation in instinctual life.
The abstraction of survival impulses into the realm of conceptual imagery is the how the self-image was created in the first place. It is no longer just living, but also an idea of living as well. Such abstractions of reactivity resulted in a great deal of dramatic emotion, new impulses based entirely on ideas we created. The capability for abstraction, which is one of humanity's greatest strengths, can just as easily become one of our greatest weaknesses. In fact most of human society is built around this incredibly basic mirage of perception. It has a great deal of history and momentum behind it. As a society, our ills are entirely self-inflicted - but it's not widely recognized because the connection between such cause and effect is the very thing which is most vehemently ignored. Understandably so, as it is a matter of survival for the self-image to deny the interconnection of all things. The feelings which come about from opening up to such depth of interconnection can obliterate the segmented emotionality of opposing personal convictions which hold the self-image together.
