The War for Kindness was published in 2019, amid increasing tribalism and growing cynicism both within the US and around the world. Over the last decade, there has been a series of divisive events. A civil war in Syria broke out in 2011 and continues today, resulting in millions of Syrians fleeing the country. The Syrian Refugee Crisis has created cultural tension in countries throughout the Middle East and Europe, with countries arguing whether or not to accept refugees. In 2016, the UK voted to leave the European Union, a nationalist decision which has resulted in the rise of racist hate crimes. Tens of thousands of people have died around the world due to attacks driven by hate and terror, such as the mass shootings at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida and the Route 91 Harvest music festival in Las Vegas, Nevada as well as terrorist attacks in France, England, Indonesia, and Pakistan. Fatal police shootings and use of unnecessary force in the US impact Black men the most, despite them only making up around six percent of the total population—highlighting structural racism. The election of President Donald Trump in 2016 exposed deep divisions in the US.

These various forces are tearing people apart.