There has never been a time in history when people have been more polarized to extremisms. Extreme views, in my opinion are postures determined to hide a flaw somewhere. With legs spread wide, arms crossed, mouth fixed and a glare that admits no light and almost always broadcasts hatred of something, extremism is identical wherever you see it manifest. The same look will bleed from the eyes of Taliban fighters, Muslim fundamentalists, Christian Fundamentalists, Capitalists and communists, dictators and revolutionaries. Here is a list of things all extremists have in common with each other:
1. A very superficial understanding of the true cause of their suffering-This includes feminists and sexists, Zionists and Fascists, Catholics and Protestants, rich and poor. [Wait! What makes you think the rich suffer! Well they do! We'll talk about that in subsequent posts but take my word for it, they suffer profoundly.]
2. Because they have a superficial understanding of the true cause of their suffering, they create and subsequently attack the wrong enemy every single time, without fail.
3. Because they conduct the ensuing war against the wrong enemy [every single time]
they are never, ever relieved of their suffering; they never, ever win the war and because of their shame at discovering this bitter truth, they never ever admit that they didn't win the war after all, nor that they were fighting the wrong enemy in the first place.
4. They completely and totally disconnected from love for children, spouses, friends, pets, or other objects of love, even when they assure themselves this is not true. Don't believe it? Then consider this: That not one extremist will blink twice about sending a loved one into harm's way to get at their wrong enemy, whether by sending a child loaded with C4 to detonate a suicidal/homicidal charge [I say homicidal because the person who hypnotizes another into such an act of insanity is committing murder] in the midst of non-combatants, or-by acts of aggression inviting the wrath of armed forces into their midst, extremists in every case will validate this statement as true.
5. Extremists seldom, if ever, generate enough introspective truth to know they need psychiatric help.
That said, I will leave you to look around and find these people in your midst. I promise you, they will suddenly, as if by magic begin to pop up all around you. Maybe your wife, your husband, your son, daughter or best friend. Try not to show that you know. Just observe for a while until you are certain that the symptoms I have shown you above are present. You will find some others, because if you live with an extremist, you have probably been subjected to violence or the threat of violence to your own person at some time or other.
O.K. Enough for now. Next Time- The OkiDoke!
There has never been a time in history when people have been more polarized to extremisms. Extreme views, in my opinion are postures determined to hide a flaw somewhere. With legs spread wide, arms crossed, mouth fixed and a glare that admits no light and almost always broadcasts hatred of something, extremism is identical wherever you see it manifest. The same look will bleed from the eyes of Taliban fighters, Muslim fundamentalists, Christian Fundamentalists, Capitalists and communists, dictators and revolutionaries. Here is a list of things all extremists have in common with each other:
