Why the world is a mess: a theory

I'm not looking to pick a fight here about whether the world is a mess or not. I agree with Penn Jillette -  the trend line is positive. But there is a basic observation here for why anything at all involving people might be fucked up. Families, groups, companies, countries, cultures, etc.

People don't listen. I don't mean that their ears aren't working, I mean it's rare for person A to genuinely try to understand what the person B is trying to say. Instead they're waiting for their chance to...