Not to get offbase but... people's belief systems are pretty "real" to them. Just think of the "fairness" belief system. Or you believe in oppression and others believe in not being oppressed -whatever oppression might mean.
It is one thing to act fairly, and expect others with whom one has direct contact to act fairly. It is a quite different thing to invent any interest in the fairness of situations twenty miles or more away. Civilization is definitely to blame for that.