Is 'saving face' the real reason why we cannot stop fighting each other ?

How do we, as a species get past this pride issue ? Many times I have seen for example two cars travelling towards each other and meeting bumber to bumber and not wanting to give way to the other! Why is this and other situations like it so difficult for us to overcome. From Northern Ireland to the current crisis in the middle east - isn't it all about the same thing - saviing face - we have to get past this somehow - or else the more efficient we become in destroying one another the more complete the job will finally be !!!

Interesting point but I think 'saving face' is rarely the cause of the start of conflicts , you could be right about conflicts continuing because of this attitude, but certainly not in the case of Northern Ireland, or the middle east, there is far more involved in those particular conflicts!.
I have come across a few issues of 'saving face' its very high on the Japanese list of etiquette , but on a far more personal basis!
No one likes to be made to look like a complete assh***
so we should try to steer clear of mocking some one who is in the wrong, and in the case of National conflicts I would imagine the 'saving face' bit would be taken into account by the so called diplomats with respect given to both sides initially?
However there is food for thought in your question!