Setting up straw men
One of my ongoing theories of needless partisan rancor is that we create a cartoon evil “they” across the aisle, a “they” whose bad intentions and power to create them balloon out of proportion to who “they” really are and what “they” really want. This caricature is helpful to politicians because it builds coalitions to fight “them”, even armies to defeat “them.” Reasonable compromise is the casualty.
I found an interesting demonstration of that dynamic in watching a recent Frontline: The Hugo Chavez Show.
Alberto Barrera, Author, Hugo Chavez: Chavez is in urgent need of an epic. He doesn’t have an epic story and I think it pains him very much. Chavez didn’t get to power by toppling a dictator. He hasn’t been invaded by anyone. He’s yelling at Bush to see if he gets a response. He needs great enemies, because you can’t maintain such high verbal temperature and keep saying “I’m a great revolutionary” without being dangerous.
Phil Gunson, The Economist: He’s absolutely convinced that George Bush goes to bed every night thinking of ways to assassinate Hugo Chavez.
Add comment December 4th, 2008
