ThinkCritical.eu · Manipulation atlas
Pressure and emotionUs versus them
Sets groups of people against each other and feeds a sense of grievance instead of a factual debate.
Splitting people into “us” and “them” turns a factual question into a fight between groups. Instead of “what’s true and what do we do about it”, the question becomes who is to blame – and anger spreads faster than facts.
Image shared in messaging groups: “The town spends €80,000 a year on a hostel for newcomers. Meanwhile our pensioners can’t even afford their medicines.”
How to spot it
- A world split into two groups: “us” (honest, cheated) and “them” (guilty, favoured).
- Two unrelated things linked so that one group looks like the cause of the other’s problems.
- Plenty of words about injustice and betrayal, few numbers or sources.
How to check and what to do
- Check each figure separately – for example in the town budget or with the office responsible.
- Ask whether the two things are really connected, and who gains from linking them.
- Listen to how people on the “other side” talk about the issue.
Full explanation and exercises:
thinkcritical.eu/en/manipulation-atlas/us-vs-them