Part 12/14:
Kerner reflects on the broader societal challenge: how to counter conspiracy-driven violence. He advocates for empathetic engagement and individual-level interventions—listening to people, understanding their fears, and offering compelling, truthful alternatives. He cites successful deradicalization efforts in Europe, such as those addressing neo-Nazi or ISIS recruits, which involve broadening worldview and finding purpose beyond narrow beliefs.
However, the scale of modern misinformation spread—especially via social media and now AI-generated content—renders swift intervention difficult. The rapid growth of conspiracy theories, combined with social and economic insecurities, suggests that such violence may increase, not decrease, in the coming years.