Thread by @EmporersNewC

On May 26, 2016, I first tweeted a section of the Brexit handbook entitled “Familiarity Breeds Contempt”.

I tweeted it several times, but after the June 18, 2016, I only ever tweeted it with the final paragraph removed.

Over 2 years on, here it is in its original form.

I’m putting it out today because people haven’t learnt a damn thing about how dangerous this sort of rhetoric is.

Since the referendum we’ve had complaints about “The Political elite”, the “Business Elite”, “The Economic Elite”

The “Political Elite” could be anyone on either side of a debate. Who the “Economic Elite” are supposed to be is completely beyond me, but I guess the “Businesses Elite” are the ones that pay tax and, therefore, are perfectly entitled to representation.

If Brexit goes bad, is it going to be “The Unemployed Elite”, “The Countries Leaving the UK Elite”, “The European Investor Elite”, "The Global Investor Elite", "The WTO Elite"?

It is really easy to upset people, and win them to a cause, by suggesting you will oppose a collection of unspecified entities that are acting against them.

It’s not so easy to break down the complex issues and multiple motivations of the people involved to understand what is really happening. Something you would need to do if you were actually going to solve a problem.

Count how many times someone like Steve Hilton says “elite” and “establishment”.

You will discover that it is the basic Neurolinguistics technique of the populist.

The beauty for the populist is that, not only does it generate contempt in people, those people will be the ones who project that vague remark on to whoever they wish, and will perceive the populist as being on their side.

It's also the dangerous part because it generates contempt in people, and those people will be the ones who project those words on to whoever they think it applies to.

If someone is using the word “Elite” or “Establishment” is really comes down to two things.

(1) They are not intellectually capable of grasping the complexity
(2) They are manipulating people.

In any case, it needs to stop because it is both wholly irresponsible and dangerous.

There are already people in this country talking about "civil war" and barristers swinging from lampposts.

If a politician wants to embrace this sort of mindless cheap rhetoric knowing what the effect could be, then they are not fit to be leaders in this country.

It was not the political climate for it in 2016 and it sure as hell isn't the political climate for it now.

/End