Entries in New Strategems (2)
Strategy: #1 - Working Bigotry Against the Bigot: The Judo Strategy
When dealing with a society immersed in attitudes that are against you or irrationally bigoted in general, use the bigotry of your opponents against them. When you have identified your quarry, pick the right time and place to present a bait that your he will chase to his detriment.
To act without understanding and to do so habitually without examination, following certain courses all their lives without knowing the principles behind them---this is the way of the multitude.
MengZi, 4th Century, BCE
Illustration: The Macaca Moment
George Allen, a politician of long experience and with presidential aspirations, has a long and distinguished resume that included a state governorship, service in the US House and US Senate. Going into Virginia's senate race of 2006 as an incumbent against Jim Webb, Allen was a favorite to win. Many predicted that his anticipated victory would catapult him into a presidential run in 2008. Indeed, as of 2006, Allen had already made a few trips to Iowa and New Hampshire, to shore up support in these two early primary states.
By August 2006, Allen enjoyed a wide lead in the polls: 56% to Webb's 37%. During this time, a volunteer of Jim Webb's campaign, S. D. Sidarth, started accompanying and filming Allen and his retinue at campaign appearances. This cameraman, while playing a passive role, had an effect on his hosts with his obvious East Indian phenotype.
During one run-of-the-mill event, attended by about 100 supporters, Allen played to his exclusively white crowd by calling attention to his visibly east-Indian guest. What was meant to be an inside joke to a limited crowd of staunch supporters became broadcast all over the world via web-video sites and blogs.
Allen's lead took a hit, dropping in a few weeks to a mere 3 point lead.
His campaign lost control of the momentum of the electoral race as more revelations about his racist past came to the fore. He was accused of vandalising the home of a black family in his college years. He was reported to have hanging nooses in his office as a state officer. And
On November 5 2006, George Allen conceded the election to Web. Allen had been beaten by 0.3%. He has not entered the 2008 presidential race, and after leaving office, works for the Young America's Foundation. He declined publicly to run for the 2008 republican presidential nomination.
Interpretation:
Allen had all the cards in his favor and a commanding lead going into the last stretch of the election. He was also campaigning in many strongholds that supported him. Thus, he was ostensibly deep into his home territory. This helped to soothe Allen into an unfounded sense of security.
In reality, the presence of a camera in the hands of possible opponents put his words and deeds on a global stage. More importantly they were brought to the attention of Allen's constituents, many of whom were demonstrably against Allen's overtly racist antics. The camera also eliminated the deniability of Allen's words and attitudes. His words and expressions are still floating around cyberspace for all to see. Though certainly much of Allen's base of supporters agreed and endorsed his racial ideology, outright endorsement clashed with their sensibilities in an era when "subterfuge" racism is preferable.
Webb's planners obviously placed Sidarth and his camera in the midst of Allen's campaign to chronicle any potentially damaging behavior and quotes from Allen. And Allen, an experienced politician, must have realized this. However, because of the force of habit, buttressed by the comfort of his surroundings, Allen couldn't resist delivering a racist slur, even with the camera of his opponents trained directly on him. Such is the arrogant folly of the bigot.
It is not known whether or not Sidarth's racial heritage was a factor in his assignment by Webb's staff, but his appearance obviously had a stirring effect on Allen and his staffers, leading to the Macaca moment. Because of their racial beliefs and attitudes, the mere presence of a dark-skinned member of the opposition's campaign was enough to stir the snakes.
It's that force of habit of which the astute can take advantage.
Recommendation:
If you must endure prejudiced thickheadedness from individuals and groups in life, career, and daily struggles, why not use these attitudes to your advantage? Bigotry is always a convenient and predictable Achilles heel.
The bigot, whether overt or subtle, often operates under an unshakeable ideology. He also thinks and acts under a strong habit. In a society that tolerates and even panders to prejudice, such a person will see his attitudes and biases as normal, and will assume that the world shares his views.
The judo strategy takes the strong momentum of habit and tradition, and turns them against the bigot. This can be by exposing his views to an unsympathetic audience, or by using the bigot's presumptions to guide her into a situation of your choosing. The transparent emotional and intellectual state of the bigot provides the predictability that ensures the success of this strategy.
As a minor example, if you know your quarry routinely crosses the street to avoid every black male, you can use this to ensure such a person will arrive on your side of the road.
When used on a larger scale, the judo strategy has been used by politicians to encourage people to vote against their economic interests, on the basis of racist sentiment. The southern strategy is without question one of the most successful political strategies in modern American politics, still going strong after several administrations and generations of voters.
In this case, politicians have used the prejudices of a segment of people to gain the political power to enact policies that are directly harmful to this same segment. Even with highly harmful policies to the biased white voter, the politician need only fervently shroud the policy as harmful to a stigmatized group. Take the welfare reform of the 90s. Most recipients of state and federal assistance are white. It stands to reason that welfare reform has adversely affected the wages and wealth of poor white families. Yet since many saw it as a program dominated by lazy black people, they were willing to sell themselves and their group down the river by supporting it.
Reversal:
Be wary of your own bigotry, and do everything in your power to extinguish it. Otherwise, your opponents will use your blind spots and ignorant passions against you.
Related Links:
13th of The 36 Strategems: Beat the Grass to Stir the Snakes. Link1 Link2 Link3
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A new approach to strategy: RedBook 2.0
Over the next few months I will be laying down a new set of strategic and tactical rules and principles relevant for the times in which we live. Some of these will be a documentation of obvious-- but never written down-- principles. Others will be my own personal insights and observations.
Strategy is important for the obvious reason that most people working towards a goal need a proper understanding of how they will get there.
In addition, sometimes we may act under an inherent, but inexplicit strategy. By holding up some of our assumptions to the light, we gain the insight to either adjust for the better or rest assured that we are going in the right direction.
I call this endeavor RedBook2.0 because I want it to have the reach of that tome, but for a new generation.
My entries will have a structure that follow Robert Greene's books, which have a style that vividly explains strategy and tactics:
1) illustration/example of principle
2) interpretation of the illustration
3) Explanation of the principle
4) Second illustration and interpretation (optional)
5) Reversal
I hope that these strategies can be refined by dialogue and feedback from the afrosphere and beyond.