Targeting a group or community is rulers' ace strategy to divide masses, turn majority hateful towards minority: Divided society stops asking questions from rulers, US to UK same mindset

Targeting a minority group or any social group is a sure-shot way for ruling party or a ruler to remain in powerful. As society gets divided on religions or racist lines, they are no longer united.

The people see the other groups of same society as 'enemy'. The jealousy, the anger, constant hatred makes them feel that the other group is getting more dominating. They keep comparing and get obsessed. When the society is not united and get addicted to fanaticism or bigotry, they forget asking questions that need to be asked from the government. 

Either America or Britain, both countries are witnessing the same situation. 'Immigrant' or 'Immigration' i.e. race and religion have emerged as key factors in this game. Interests of individual communities are seen, not the entire society and country. 

The fear, scare, propaganda ensures that people remain trapped and are ready to compromise their future due to the narrow mindset and the brainwashing, apart from poisonous views and prejudices spread by media. 

The owners of social media platforms are racist or bigot, having tilt towards right-wing, then you can imagine how easily a narrative can be spread even in countries like United States and England [Britain]. When society is divided, they no longer fix responsibility of leaders and go with the wave. 

Rulers love it when they are not held accountable and the public is more interested in hateful agenda, rather than questioning the ruling class. A few points below to understand how this madness starts and reaches the level of extreme hatred among groups in a society.

1. In many regions, a tried & tested formula is to 'identify' a few smaller groups and be in constant attacking mode against them--blaming them and spreading propaganda against them. 

2. Certain individuals would emerge and repeat lies about the minority group, weave stories and generalize, demonize the latter. More people will start believing it, due to social media.

3. Also, the minorities would be blamed for any and every damn reason, otherized and hated. It gives the local majority and its people a 'reason to live for' & it works as the 'majority' never likes to introspect or take blame for its own failures. 

4. Majority is powerful and owns most of the local, traditional as well as new media. Hence, the prejudiced views against Black or Muslim, Arab or South Asian, African or any group with a different homeland or religion, will go 'mainstream' with ease. Believe it, accept it, as 'everyone' is saying it.

5. The politicians, too, like such rhetoric. It's a majoritarian mindset and the discourse actually borders on fascism as well as fueling bigotry and discrimination.

6. In coming days, I will give examples with data to explain how this happens and how deluded the people can become, in a short span of time. 

7. Hate, xenophobia, racism, worst emotions are directed at certain group of people and in short-term it does unite locals, a section that indeed feels insecure. 

8. Long-term, it damages the country and its society, economy, even those who felt that they were going to benefit and had gained prominence by raising these issues.

9. Offense is the best defense? We have heard and known this sentence, a lot. But, in the last few decades, this phrase has acquired a totally different meaning.

10. It is used as a strategy to deny rights to people, perpetrate injustices and is used as propaganda to create a narrative that completely brainwashes people. 

11. The vast majority starts to feel besieged, gets obsessed with vague ideas and weird fear about future. When a group is identified, it becomes easy for leaders to manipulate public. 

12. If there is any issue and government wants to divert public attention, they have the perfect alternative. They know how public can be made to focus on another issue. They had identified one group earlier, this time other group and next time yet another group. 

Just make your 'influencers' go out and start blaming any section. Media will amplify the hate and all main issues will be forgotten. Governments love such societies that have more interest in hating each other, rather, than asking questions about corruption, huge money transfers, illegal actions and siphoning off funds or other corrupt practices. Who wants jobs or healthcare? Society enjoys the feeling of power when it targets a section. Petty.

This method and the system is replicated again and again, region after region, country after country as people do have a tendency to fall for conspiracy theories.

[Shams Ur Rehman Alavi]