What If Unity Isn’t Always the Answer?

A couple of weeks ago, I was speaking to a group of teachers during a back-to-school kick-off, and the energy just seemed drained, very low. And honestly, that’s not just in one school. As I travel — whether I’m in Chicago, California, or Ohio — I see the same thing. People are tired. People are fearful. People are divided.

And I get it. Many of us carry this hope that “if only we could all come together, things would be better.” I’ve even said the same thing in my own family. But here’s something I’ve been reflecting on lately: unity isn’t always the answer. In fact, sometimes unity can be dangerous.

Think about it. People can come together to tear someone down. Teams can unite to make a name for themselves while ignoring the bigger mission. Groups can rally around anger or fear, and the energy they create spreads faster than truth or love.

We see this in the Bible too.

The Tower of Babel

In Genesis 11, the story of the Tower of Babel tells us about a time when people spoke the same language. Together they said, “Let us build a tower to the heavens. Let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered.”

On the surface, this looked like perfect unity — one people, one language, one goal. But their unity wasn’t built on humility or truth. It was built on pride and fear. So God stepped in. He confused their language and scattered them. Not as punishment, but as protection.

The lesson is clear: unity without humility and truth can be just as dangerous as division.

Our Modern “Towers”

We don’t have to look far to see our own modern towers today. Just scroll through social media. The algorithms pick up what you like, what you fear, what makes you mad — and before you know it, your whole feed is filled with voices that only echo your thoughts. It feels like unity, but it’s really a trap.

The same thing happens in politics — sides uniting not to solve problems, but just to fight the other side. Even in workplaces, I’ve seen teams come together, not to serve or create something meaningful, but to protect their own power.

That kind of unity may look strong at first, but it doesn’t last.

It reminds me of the unfinished pyramid on the back of the U.S. dollar bill. At the top, there’s a single eye — often called the Eye of Providence. To me, it’s a reminder that no matter how much we build, no human structure is complete without higher vision guiding it. Our towers will only stand for so long unless they’re rooted in something bigger than ourselves.

A Different Kind of Coming Together

So where does that leave us in a world that feels scattered, tired, and divided? I believe the answer isn’t just about coming together — it’s about why we come together.

• If fear is holding us together, it will eventually break apart.

• If pride is fueling our unity, it will eventually collapse.

• But if humility, truth, and love are at the center, what we build will last.

Dr. David Hawkins reminds us that 85% of people live in low-level energy states like fear, anger, or helplessness. And in those states, it’s hard to think clearly for ourselves. That’s why so much of what we see online feels confusing and overwhelming.

But when we begin to shift — into courage, acceptance, and love — unity changes. It becomes healthier. It becomes life-giving.

Our Invitation

Maybe the divisions we see today aren’t just a curse. Maybe, like Babel, they’re boundaries — slowing us down, making us ask the hard question: “What are we really building together?”

Because the real question isn’t just: “Can we come together?”It’s: “What vision are we uniting under?”

If we can come together with humility, truth, and love at the center, then what we build won’t just be another tower that crumbles. It will be a foundation that endures — one that restores hope, heals what’s been broken, and reminds us that real strength isn’t in rising higher than others, but in lifting one another up. That’s the kind of unity the world is waiting for.

With something to think about,

Niki Spears,

Educator | Author | Energy Shifter