I find the idea of an alternate Cold War - a decades-long conflict between two rival superpowers - quite intriguing. But instead of the traditional dichotomies between communism and capitalism or authoritarianism vs. libertarianism, what other rival ideologies could divide the world into 2 camps? I had a few ideas, but I'd really like to hear yours.
1. Rationalism vs. Romaticism. On one side of the Cold War, you have the Rationals, who consider religion and monarchy a thing of the past. They are democratic and capitalist in name, but the government keeps a close eye on everyone. They operate under the assumption that money is the driving force behind nearly all aspects of society.
On the other side, the Romantics despise the cold-hearted, calculating Rationals and consider themselves the true defenders of the human spirit. They place great emphasis on honor, loyalty, and courtesy. If they feel that you have wronged them, they are likely to seek revenge.
2. Satisfaction vs. Restraint. On one side are the Satisfactionists, or Pleasure-seekers, who take the phrase "pursuit of happiness" quite seriously. They believe that no authority should have the power to dictate one's personal tastes or hobbies - but many of them, unfortunately, don't seem to mind if these hobbies have destructive effects on others. They have somewhat of an "everyman for himself" approach to economics and war.
The Restrained, the other power bloc, believe that self-discipline is the path toward perfection. Their government, in theory, is supposed to be an intricate system of checks and balances where everyone has rights and responsibilities, ruled by an ethic of "duty to one's fellow man." In practice, however, they're rarely more than a few steps away from totalitarianism.