If this kid were an Arab Muslim, he'd be called a terrorist and a part of an international death cult. It would be said, perhaps, that social media had radicalized him.
But it happens that he's white and non-Muslim, so he's "troubled" and has "mental health issues."
I submit that the facts otherwise need no material changes at all for the analogy to be nearly perfect. The cases of recruitment into ISIS or the violent alt-right are for all I can tell nearly identical. Right down to the international death cult.
But what I mean here is actually complicated. I don't think it's sufficient or even necessarily appropriate to talk about violent jihadists merely as "troubled" or as suffering from mental health issues. And I don't think that it's right to soften the actions of violent alt-right individuals in this way either. Yet the social media, peer, and ideological pressures in each case deserve more common conceptualization than they seem to be getting. Just as violent jihadism is the ugliest side of present-day Islam, the alt-right is the ugliest side of present-day western civilization.
I happen to love western civilization, and I will defend its virtues both openly and proudly--but I abhor the alt-right. And I know that there are many who love Islam, and who for that very reason abhor violent jihadism. A common vocabulary for Islam's and the West's analogous failure modes seems potentially much more clarifying than not.
Is mental health a factor? Emphatically yes. You are probably less likely get involved in either of these failure modes if you're not going through some pretty difficult places already. These death cults recruit the vulnerable. That's always been a standard practice of high-investment ideological and religious groups anyway--including the high-investment benign ones. Even Jesus recruited among the troubled and the outcasts, because he knew what he was doing. Yet troubled people are also at risk from harmful spiritual or ideological leaders. And this means that mental health is never going to tell the whole story, even as it's a part of the story.
The other parts are more common than we may be comfortable admitting, I believe.
You are right @honeybee. There are many similarities between Alt-right and ISIS recruitment. Both use hatred, racism, and religion to brainwash those into joining. The targets are often people who are mentally ill, weak minded, and looking for an excuse for all of their suffering.
I do not argue that mental illness should be used as a hall pass to getaway with anything. I feel people need to take responsibility for themselves. It is great to have loving and supportive people around you but ultimately you are responsible for your own life and actions. Please do not take the easy way out and let yourself be deceived that others have ultimate control over your life.
I feel racism is like hating someone for wearing a different colour t-shirt. We are all people. Sure, culture, genetics, and upbringing play a role in who we become. Let's just embrace and enjoy those differences.
Some of my ideology could be considered dangerous by others. I strongly criticise democracy and government (western). Two areas many people are very passionate about. I find most opposition I face comes from pig headed people who won't open their eyes to the truth. I try my best to be kind and understanding rather than belligerent.
P.S. My 'kindness' approach is sometimes a tactic I use to get people I don't like to sabotage themselves. It is surprisingly effective and keeps the blood off my hands.
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Like your post @honeybee ❤️
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