# 56. Induced Unity ## 56.5. Methodology/Refinements/Sub-species ## 56.5.1. Bogeyman - the common enemy This is a manipulative technique which focuses victims' attention on external groups that are considered to be communal enemies, and encourages the victims to act in unison to defend themselves against their common enemy. The technique uses the principle that "My enemy's enemy is my friend" to unite otherwise disunited groups.56.1 Examples of groups that can be seen as common enemies include members of certain religions, secret organisations, political parties, social establishments, and racial groups, ethnic and social minorities. This tactic works by oversimplifying political reality: it misleads and radicalises members of similar ideological affinities so that they act towards a certain common objective. It works because it uses the common currency of fear, which unites even ideologically dissimilar groups against an enemy more threatening than their normally antagonistic parochial competitors. During the early Christian crusades, the Arab fiefdoms of the time were also generally at war with each other. However, these local wars were always suspended as soon as the word went out that "the Christians are coming". The principle that my enemy's enemy is my friend, as always, prevails.