I think that there are certain sociocultural pressures (by which, I generally mean, broadly "economic pressures") that prevent people from taking what ought to be a simple step, and affirming the humanity of others. Industrialism, for instance, gives us categorically different identities, which allows us to be readily utilised in different ways as part of the division of labour. It sets us against each other, since we come to see ourselves as beings with ontological distinct characteristics, such as gender or "race". The sense that we are actually all human beings become de-emphasised by means of these economic processes.

In my view, postmodernisms are often struggling with the way in which we have accepted identification with these historically bestowed economic roles. We end up thinking within these terms, on the basis of the categories that have been bestowed on us. We feel stuck, because we cannot resist history and the work that it has done on our minds.