It’s common for politicians to look for and even manufacture enemies.
Enemies unite us in opposition and give us a reason to ignore our differences. We can react to them with power and force and feel good about their demise.
Enemies also distract us and help keep those in power where they are. We don’t like changing the guard when the enemy is at the gates.
Allies, on the other hand, test our ability to cooperate not just with each other but with other cultures as well. We have to react to them with empathy and support, and their demise feels like our demise.
Allies put a different focus on our leaders. Their ability to unite people and navigate a complex diplomatic world becomes more important. If a leader can’t handle working with others, then we may well remove him or her from power.
Like everything, deciding who’s an enemy and who’s an ally is more complicated than we like to make it.
I think we need to be looking for more allies, especially among our enemies.
