East Asian students dominate Western schools but face barriers in reaching leadership roles. Women advance in their careers but men are falling behind, and economic gaps between rich and poor persist in classrooms. Discrimination holds back many racial and ethnic minorities while some believe race is no longer a factor. Political and religious differences cause conflicts between groups. Relationships between different regions, sectors, and countries also experience tensions in agreeing on standards and collaborating effectively. Many of these eight societal clashes stem from a common root of tension between independent and interdependent aspects of human nature.