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Based on the required readings this week from Reicher, Haslam and Silke, what do they have to say about these fundamental factors that lead individuals toward terrorism?
The Fueling Terror article discusses the fundamental factors that lead individuals toward terrorism. The article highlights that almost any individual is capable of extreme violence if presented with the wrong circumstances. The circumstances could be the pursuit of a community with a common goal that has meaning or because of already established rifts in groups (think Muslim and non-Muslim). The common fundamental reason is based on the rifts. The rift groups are often exploited by terrorist leaders to create a group with a common terroristic goal. However, it is not the motivation of the terrorist leader alone that will lead a group to commit acts of terror; it is also the response of the opposition to the terror group. If the opposition retaliates against the terrorist group or terrorist group’s internal beliefs, it will justify their group’s purpose. This purpose helps to justify that just because acts of terror might be regrettable they terror acts are necessary to accomplish the idealist beliefs of the group. The terrorist leader’s primary purpose in a terror organization is to bring together like-minded people with a common goal. However, the members of the groups are unlikely to follow the leader blindly like once believed. The group members think of distinctive ways to further the group’s overall goal, the leader they follow just empowers them to complete these goals. Additionally, members often join terrorist groups in small groups. It is also important to note that most members of terrorist groups do not have pathological personalities (it is possible some do) (Reicher & Haslam, 2016) .
In Understanding Suicide Terrorism, chapter nine, the fundamental factors that lead individuals toward terrorism is highlighted. The chapter indicates some myths that are not true about suicide bombers. These myths include Islam developed suicide terrorism and that the bomber is either deranged fanatics or brainwashed individuals. However, the truth is that suicide bombers have been present in multiple religions throughout history to include Christianity and Judaism. Additionally, suicide bombers are commonly intelligent, well-educated, and psychologically healthier than other violent criminals. In fact, their most notable characteristic is how normal they are. This opens the question as to why the suicide bombers commit the violent terrorism act, and that is a more complex answer. The suicide bombers believe that they are sacrificing their lives for the sake of a higher goal. This is different than the bombers thinking they are committing suicide because psychologically committing suicide represents failure, and the bombers do not believe they have failed (Silke, 2015, p. 419-445). The chapter highlights that if you were asked or could go back and time to kill Adolph Hitler at the cost of your own life, would you do that. That’s is the same question that is being asked of the suicide bombers in real-time, they believe their actions are necessary and justified. Additionally, the terrorist joins with purpose and belief in their cause as small groups.
The two readings showed that terrorist is not the stereotypical definition of what is portrayed in the media. The fundamental principles that lead to someone becoming a terrorist are likely are a combination of the following. A small group that finds belief in a cause that likely has an existing rift present. They are typically well educated and intelligent people that have made in their minds the right decision. They do not think of themselves as a terrorist but instead of someone that is standing up for something they believe in. They are not usually coerced by terrorist leaders but instead a choice to follow the leaders because of shared belief. In the wrong circumstances, anyone can become a terrorist.
RESPONE TO THIS POST AT LEAST 150 WORDS
Based on the required readings this week from Reicher, Haslam and Silke, what do they have to say about these fundamental factors that lead individuals toward terrorism?
After completely the reading I have noticed multiple factors that lead individuals to terrorism but the main thing that I noticed through the readings is that many people tend to be led toward terrorism because of a feeling of belonging or not belonging to a group of people or idea. In the Stanford prison experiment, they used students to play roles as guards and prisoners. One thing that happened was the guards did not treat the prisoners with the most respect because of how they viewed them. “These studies proved that virtually anyone, under the right—or rather the wrong—circumstances, could be led to perpetrate acts of extreme violence. And so it is for terrorists. (Reicher and Haslam, 2016).” This reference from our reading shows that terrorist are not a cookie cutter person and the reason for them joining can be very different. If the terrorist group offers something that a person is not receiving from society or within themselves could be a reason they decide to join. This is something that I can kind over understand because working in the military a lot of people join because they see the opportunity to feel apart of something bigger than themselves.
The U.S Army Military Guide to Terrorism in the 21st Century give example of things that are lifestyle attractions for people who look to and join terrorist groups. Things like belonging, money and adventure are things that I look for and enjoy in life but are things that people who don’t have these things look for in terrorist groups. I can see how if someone was lacking one thing or another would go to an extreme to receive those items or feelings.
The military guide also talks about something that we learn about in the military which is how people act in a group vs as an individual. Which ties into the mindset of wanting to feel apart of a group and being accepted. Once a person is finally accepted into a group, they may do whatever it takes to continue to feel apart of that group for the fear of no longer fitting in. This I believe is very dangers because like the reading states, people in a group feed off each other’s emotions, mindset and actions.
To wrap everything up, everything above is just a small portion of the reason why individuals are led to terrorism. People who feel left out or feel like they are missing something in life will see others achieve things they want to achieve. This is what will continue to attract people to terrorism.