Thursday, January 28, 2010
What Terrorists Really Think
This article from New York Times offers an interesting insight into how terrorists' minds work - what they think, and ultimately what drives them into committing suicidal crimes. Islam teaches revenge, it is no wonder most terrorist acts are carried out by Muslims. A point I found interesting from this article is that terrorist groups prefer those with higher status for suicide missions because they believe sending those with most to lose increase the missions' credibility. Read on if you've always wondered why people commit suicide bombs and such: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/10/weekinreview/10kershaw.html?pagewanted=1&sq=psychology&st=cse&scp=4
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The news, in most forms, has a very one faced view on terrorism that in itself is very interesting to study. It peaked my interest after an experience I recently had.
On Tuesday December 26th 2009 a little past 1 pm, there I was with my entire family with a couple hours to spare inside the Washington Dulles Airport. In every direction my face happened to glance was the emitting glow of a stupid flat screen box repeating the same story, "a terrorist on a Detroit plane had snuck past security and almost bombed a plane." Exactly what I needed to listen to for the next two hours before boarding a plane - by the time I boarded the plane and lifted off I was about ready to pee in my pants, great.
My views on terrorism was what I would assume most other Americans would agree with; very slanted and fed by the media. Terrorist are heartless people, period. But I've never really stopped to think about how and why a person becomes a "terrorist." It is in human nature to want to have a sense of belonging and a purpose in life. It was interesting to learn that terrorist groups prey on the mentally unstable and "society's outcast." Terrorist groups seem to comprehend the basic human desire to for some sense of purpose so when it is handed to a member of society's outcast, they are more likely to respond with a strong loyalty and devotion to a group's cause (some anger towards society must have been festering before hand but never been fed and controlled).
The part of this study that fascinated me the most, although interesting was not what Noodee posted, but the fact that many terrorist do have moral limitations. We just never hear about them because the "killing that almost happened but didn't" simply isn't news worthy. The study showed that some terrorist, who may themselves might not know it, might not be able to kill standby victims who was not originally planned to be assassinated or do not have the ability to kill animals. It could be connected to the fact that terrorists are brainwashed to believe that killing certain people is part of the cause and necessary or believe in a religious loophole that ultimately is serving for the greater good of their people's interest; but if they are not specifically targeted, some terrorist do not have the heart to kill the innocent so will change their plan to assassinate at a later time.
In no ways has my opinions on terrorism changed, but this article certainly has made me less ignorant about the individuals who become terrorists. It was extremely interesting and enlightening.
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