I was asked: Is religion the only way to tranquility? I answered: No. People are different. I like to divide them into a spectrum that has three segment.
In the first segment, which is very short, belongs the “wise individuals” who use pragmatic reasoning in their dealing. They create their own tranquility by channeling their emotions and reasoning into constructive actions.
In the second segment, which is short as well, you find the Elite. These are individuals who use reasoning in a specific paradigm which they master its parameters. They find tranquility by focusing on clear well defined objectives with clear value set that help them so the can make the right decisions. They lose their tranquility when they are forced to shift to unexpected new paradigm.
In the third segment, which is by fare the largest, you find the commoners. These are individuals who are followers and need an external influencers to give them direction and makes sense. These individuals need a basic dogma, whether religious, political, racial, scientific, educational or a combination, to give them a path towards tranquility. In this case, religion is the most successful tool in providing a good level of tranquility)..
(Side note: The Elite exploit this basic human need to achieve their means whether in religion, politics, business, marketing, leadership and all other areas of life.)
What is the reason for this situation.
The answer is simple. It is the “WHY”. We, as a species, are driven by an instinct need to know the why of things. This is the single element that differentiate us from all other species.