On the back of the powerbar in black marker we wrote, “We know Mark Birkman, so put this back where you found it".”
We were in our mid teens and our band had a small set-up for live shows. One power bar was all we required. We bought the best one we could from Canadian Tire and, in an effort to prevent it from being stolen, wrote this warning on the back.
We were ‘Spinners’. New Wave kids. Wacky haircuts and make-up.
Mark Birkman was a ‘Metaller’. A Heavy Metal fan and the toughest guy we knew in town.
He also happened to be really nice.
We weren’t close friends but he had never threatened to ram our can of French Formula hairspray into any of our orifices, so that made him an ally.
When we’re teens, having cliques or groups that separate ‘us’ from ‘them’ makes life easier, in a weird sort of way. It seems to help us feel that we belong and it helps us establish who we think we are and what space we occupy in the world.
It’s a super easy way to get friends. “You and me? We’re not like them,” and suddenly you’re part of something.
Of course, the most obvious example of this is racism. This practice of creating a common enemy is the hallmark of someone who simply wants power, but lately I’ve been thinking about another example…
Lazy politicians.
Politicians who don’t want to put in the effort of explaining how they could fix things or make them better.
Instead, they simply point to someone or some group and tell you they’re the reason you can’t have/don’t have… whatever. Safety, success, etc..
Conflating a problem or concern with a person or people instead of seeing it as its own thing is super easy.
It basically provides some accountability insurance. It’s like saying “Listen, that’s a terrible problem and I’m going to try to fix it but that group of people will probably try to stop me. So don’t be surprised if I can’t.”
It’s super lazy… but it works. Even better for those who exploit this tactic, you don’t even NEED an actual problem.
You can simply tell a group of people that they’re better than another group of people.
And us people… WE LOVE IT. We gobble that stuff up.
Here in Canada recently, a politician named Pierre Poilievre, who is running for the leadership of the federal Conservative Party, held a rally at Steamwhistle Brewery’s event space in Toronto. The brewery, concerned that this may be seen as an endorsement of the Conservative Party or Mr Poilievre’s views, handed out a letter distancing themselves from both.
Most media there hadn’t had seen this happen before. So it became a news story.
Presumably upset about the letter, at Mr Poilievre’s next stop, he disparaged Steamwhistle. Saying their beer was watered down.
Now, in Canada, this is a serious insult. You don’t just go around insulting Canadian beer.
However, the crowd, who weren’t drinking Steamwhistle, cheered.
He then went on to laud the beer served at that event which was supplied by Oast Brewery…
Oast Brewery then released a statement distancing themselves from the Conservative Party and Mr Poilievre.
I mean… that’s funny.
What should be noted though is how easy it was to get people on side. Just by fabricating a common ‘enemy’. Of course, I’m using ‘enemy’ in its most lenient possible definition.
But… Again, us people? We love it.
I spoke recently an event for grain farmers (lovely people - way cooler than dairy farmers) and one of the jokes that got the biggest laugh was when I made fun of dairy farmers. Seriously. It was udderly ridiculous… That wasn’t the joke. Couldn’t help myself. Sorry.
A lot of the time, fabricating a common ‘enemy’ is largely harmless. Sports is a great example… or those stupid dairy/grain farmers depending on which group you’re talking to.
However, when it comes to the important stuff in life… when someone’s main argument of why you should trust them is because it’s '“us” vs “them”, that’s a red flag.
That’s just DIY enemies.
The takeaway from this week’s newsletter is that you are better than the people who haven’t yet subscribed. Those people are the worst.
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(Pictured: Author with dyed black hair and bandmates rest easy thanks to Mark Birkman)
The hair! A great article and succinctly written.