They get your fear state sparked about anything
They provide you with an “out” in the form of your ego feeling powerful against perceived enemies so make you focus on being boss or cutting people off or anything disconnecting you from others in regards to it being for your protection because they “wronged” you or might wrong you or your group.
And then perpetuate the idea with rhetoric form your peers that anything the “opp”/other person does that isn’t a boost to your ego in some way or misaligns to what your group says/believes is an intentional attack from them that your must fight back or guard yourself against.
Label any deviation from this as weak or cringe or pathetic, etc.
Rinse and repeat and suddenly nobody is healing, or learning, everyone is scared to express themselves. Instead of loving connecting and growing, we stay divided and stagnant in a state of distrust and war.