Us vs them
Divides the world into two camps — one good, one bad — removing all nuance.
Specimen
Real citizens stand with this country. Those who oppose the policy have made clear which side they're on .
Fabricated passage — teaching example designed for clarity.
us vs them — policy disagreement recast as disloyalty
Dissection
Real citizens stand with this country. Those who oppose the policy have made clear which side they're on.
- opposition recast as disloyalty
- 'real citizens' defines who belongs
- no middle position available
Field notes
- Family
- Emotional manipulation
- Habitat
- political opinion, culture war coverage, nationalist media
- Frequency
- found in 15% of analyzed articles
- Confused with
- False dichotomy , Dehumanisation
In the wild
"You're either part of the solution or you're part of the problem. There is no neutral ground."
Political speech coverage, national daily, January 2026
"Those attacking this institution are attacking everything decent people in this country believe in."
Editorial, conservative publication, March 2026
Why it works
Group identity is a powerful motivator. Framing disagreement as tribal membership activates loyalty instincts and shuts down evaluation of the policy itself.
Counter-move
Ask: can you oppose this policy while still being a good citizen? If yes, the framing is false.
See it flagged in real articles while you read.
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