Looking at recent threads, I couldn't help but notice everyone turning on each other—SF vs. MF vs. Tech, hybrid vs. remote, first line vs. 2nd vs. 3rd line, people of a certain ethnicity vs. others, you name it. Meanwhile, the people actually pulling the strings and causing this mess get a free pass while we tear each other apart.
I was curious if there’s an actual psychological or organizational term for this dynamic, so I ran it through AI. Here is a quick breakdown of Horizontal Hostility (or lateral violence):
“When a toxic leader or broken system holds power, self-preservation ends up destroying group solidarity. Because confronting the real source of the threat feels useless or risky, people turn their frustration inward on their peers instead. By scapegoating colleagues or hoping someone else absorbs management's wrath, people try to buy temporary safety. This dynamic is often fueled by leadership using divide-and-conquer tactics—keeping everyone fearful, fragmented, and fighting amongst themselves so no one unites against the actual problem.”
Classic divide and conquer. Let's stop taking the bait and keeping the heat off the people who actually caused this.