Unmasking Anger: How Ruling Elites Divert Our Rage Towards Each Other Instead of True Oppression

Anger is a powerful emotion. It can fuel change or deepen divisions. Yet, many people direct their anger not at the true sources of their struggles but at neighbors, immigrants, or marginalized groups. This misdirection is no accident. Ruling elites have long used this tactic to keep power by turning people against each other instead of the systems that oppress them. Understanding this dynamic is key to breaking free from fear and division and building a united front against real injustice.

People divided in a busy city street, unaware of shared struggles

How Elites Use False Hatred to Divide

Throughout history, ruling classes have created and exploited divisions among the population. These divisions often appear as conflicts based on religion, ethnicity, nationality, or social status. The goal is clear: prevent people from recognizing their shared interests and the true source of their problems.

For example, in many countries, elites have stoked fears about immigrants or religious minorities. These groups are portrayed as threats to jobs, culture, or safety. This narrative distracts from policies that actually benefit the wealthy, such as tax breaks, deregulation, or cuts to social services. By focusing anger on outsiders, people overlook how the system is rigged against them all.

This tactic is not new. Colonial powers used ethnic and religious differences to control populations. In the United States, racial segregation and anti-immigrant laws kept working-class people divided. In Europe, political leaders have often blamed economic woes on migrants rather than on financial elites or global capitalism.

Manufactured Differences and Weaponized Divisions

Elites do more than just highlight existing differences. They actively manufacture new ones to keep people fighting each other. These can take many forms:

• Religious conflicts where faith becomes a tool to separate communities that might otherwise unite.

• Cultural wars that emphasize minor lifestyle differences as major threats.

• Economic scapegoating where certain groups are blamed for unemployment or inflation despite systemic causes.

  
  

These manufactured divisions serve to distract and weaken collective resistance. When people see each other as enemies, they are less likely to challenge the structures that maintain inequality.

The Fear of the System and Its Consequences

Most people understand, at some level, that the ruling elites hold immense power. This power is maintained through control of the media, law enforcement, and political institutions. History shows that those who challenge the system often face severe consequences:

• Surveillance and harassment of activists and dissenters.

• Legal persecution through unfair trials or harsh sentences.

• Violence and intimidation, sometimes leading to death.

  
  

This creates a deep fear that silences many. People feel safer directing their anger at those around them rather than at the powerful few. This fear is a tool of control, ensuring that real opposition remains fragmented and weak.

Tense protest scene with police monitoring crowd, illustrating fear of dissent

Overcoming Fear and Building Resistance

Breaking free from this cycle requires courage and strategy. Here are some ways people can move past fear and division to fight for real change:

• Educate yourself and others about how power operates and who benefits from division.

• Build bridges across differences by focusing on shared goals like fair wages, healthcare, and justice.

• Support grassroots movements that prioritize solidarity over scapegoating.

• Use peaceful protest and civil disobedience to challenge unjust laws and policies.

• Leverage social media and independent media to spread truthful information and counter propaganda.

  
  

Solidarity is the strongest weapon against oppression. When people unite, ruling elites lose their ability to divide and conquer.

What Happens If We Don’t Confront the System

If fear and division continue to dominate, the consequences will worsen:

• Inequality will deepen, with wealth and power concentrated in fewer hands.

• Social unrest will grow, fueled by anger without direction.

• Democracy will weaken, as elites tighten control and silence dissent.

• Marginalized groups will suffer most, becoming permanent scapegoats.

• Opportunities for real change will shrink, leaving future generations trapped in the same cycle.

  
  

Ignoring the true source of oppression only prolongs suffering. Facing the system requires bravery but offers the chance for a fairer, more just society.

Close-up of chained gate representing obstacles to social justice and freedom