In this article the people im mostly going to be talking about are people who join organizations such as ISIS, Doomsday Cults, ect, when they are complete outsiders (don’t have a direct connection to a group’s startup or problems. The reason I want to focus on people who are recruited or join ijn the later stages after the intital creation is because many times the people who help create the organization are genuinely evil or extremist people. Many of those recruited later on are often recruited into the ideology because they are looking for some place to belong.
There is no doubt that within the human nature of everyone lies a part of us that wants to belong. Whether this is just society as a whole, a specific friend group or a group of our peers, doesn’t matter We are after all social animals and it is in our primal coding to seek the comfort and security a group brings. Unfortunately for many, this can be something that is used against us, specifically in the case of organizations that are evil.
I saw a few documentaries over the past few days, one on a British boy, Tommy Evans, who went to Somalia and joined Al Shibaab and another about the Heavens Gate cult, which saw 39 people commit mass suicide in 1997. While each group no doubt had different motives, the people they targeted and recruited later on were very similar, those who were having a hard time and felt like they didn’t belong.
In the case of Tommy Evans, he was depressed after a string of disappointments in his life and more importantly, feeling a lack of purpose. In the case of many of the Heaven’s gate recruits they were targeted for the same reason. Giving themselves to a cause, even one that was evil and murderous, gave them life meaning. When you believe that the future only holds more disappointment, someone promising you future happiness will take your attention. Unfortunately in both cases it ended in death and destruction.
For young people today, there seems to be a rise in many who feel like our lives don’t matter which is unfortunate. Many see the future as only more of the same or worse and that it will only contain suffering. This is not true, but we see this with doomsday cults and the amount of people who seemingly want the world to collapse into chaos. There have always been people who claim the end of the world is coming, but more often these days it seems like people are believing it. Tommy Evans ultimately would be killed in the fighting, but he is not the only foreigner who has gone over to fight with these extremist organizations, or has joined a cult because they lack purpose.
Thanks to @Elyaque for the badges
Also they seek the place out of ideologies to create their own (prison) based on principles they like
Very good post indeed and one to think about.
There are 2 sides of one coin, it also means that our eduction is also to limited (and raising of parents as well) to be able to teach to their children that they do matter in the world.
But that they need to have a idea in that they always need to develop and grow without giving the kids a feeling that they are never good enough.
This is something a lot of people nowadays are missing and it is truly reflecting, because we are more and more growing towards an age where individualism becomes important and everything around us tries to stop it.
I completely agree, In my personal opinion (completely my opinion) I also think rampant social media sites like facebook and instagram also make people feel inferior compared to others. When people post their imaginary "amazing lives" many see them and believe they are lesser people. Thats just my opinion though.
They commite crimes because they are dissapointed and don't have an idea of what doing next? Maybe this is effect of low intelligence. They go there and then get odse of opioids and they are stop to feel guilt about what they do.
People without aim could get use to narcotics. I know one case.
Some really good points there and I agree, people are looking to belong or fit in. Unfortunately, when this is mixed with extreme ideologies and other people with the same bitterness and hate it gets channeled and perpetuated into something much worse.
I've just spent a year working with refugees in Greece. Some of the stories I've been told me are horrific, the journeys the people have gone through to escape. It's awful. They've lost their homes, their families and friends...their lives. It's crazy, really. These people are crazy.
I urge people to watch this - http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/specialseries/2017/02/boy-started-syrian-war-170208093451538.html
and this - https://fmovies.se/film/city-of-ghosts.xjvw8/1y5xpq.
Definitely, people who usually feel pushed out by society naturally have anger and rage, which people with an evil cause can turn towards something for their benefit.
Weak mentality, low intellect, desire to easily earn.
They arent always low intellect believe it or not. There have been many cases where people, despite being intelligent in most ways, convince themselves of something else because they want to be part of a group.
What is an evil organisation?
The terrorists, the freedom fighters, the evil government or the sects?
I needed an easy way to just explain lol. In general I dont like labeling these extremist groups as completely evil because many people think they are helping people from going to hell.
This is a really interesting topic and one that I have also thought about a lot after watching numerous documentaries and reading countless stories. I think like you mentioned, the feeling of belonging is definitely a big part.
I think there are multiple factors that affect everyone's decision, from where they live, the people they hang out with, the type of family they were brought up in, if/how many traumatic life events they have gone through, etc.
To elaborate on the last one. I've recently been digesting all the literature I can about North Korea, from its history to current state, trying to understand a bit more about the current dilemma the world faces with them in the middle. As an outsider, people see the regime as tyrants that keep their people living in poverty and have created a humanitarian crises. But within the regime, it was about 60 years ago that America completely decimated North Korea. I'm talking like the most bombs America had ever dropped to that point. Pyongyang was in ruins after the Korean war. So if you fast forward half a decade, it becomes easier to understand why some/many/most of the North Koreans still have disdain for America, in part surely because of propaganda but also because the oral history that no doubt has been passed down reminds them of what America did all those years ago, and thats not easy to let go off.
Sorry for the rant, really interesting subject though.
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When your country is bombed and in great poverty it's not so weird to turn into radicalisation. We often see them as the boogeyman without realizing what they've been through.
The world is in a turning point as it is every few centuries, and it brings for a lot of confusion and despair. But I believe we are able to create a real heaven on earth, eventually...
Im talking about outsiders who come in and join from other countries. People who have no struggle or history with the groups they are involved with.
Same applies, just different circumstances. This was just an example of how people can get attracted to such ideologies. Despair is a strong motivation...
Nice post @calaber24p ...bless
It's a very sad truth..
I generally agree. However these people know what they are doing, they are putting their own needs ahead of others.
I need to belong = Its OK for me to kill others to get it
Having an inclusive and open society where people aren't systematically marginalised is important, but we can't prevent unhappiness for everyone, and in the end being unhappy is no excuse for joining these types of groups.
A perspective that I found interesting, though I do not recall who originally said it, pointed out that in Western societies we watch movies like Star Wars, in which the evil and powerful Empire seeks to control the universe and all its inhabitants and a small band of rebels fights back for their freedom. In the case of radical groups like ISIS, they see themselves as the Jedi rebel force and Western society as the Empire. To them, and other groups like them, they are simply fighting for their freedom. I thought that was an interesting analogy. There are always two sides to every story and a million perspectives that go along with every situation.
You also raise a lot of good point regarding disenfranchisement and meaning of life issues. Interesting article
Low IQ disillusioned, meeting higher IQ sociopathic and charismatic leaders, will always results in group conflict.
Often people may identify with an ideology to the point they feel it is an absolute truth. When this happens, all other mindsets are not only seen as wrong, but evil. This kind of thinking can lead to awful consequences. My worry is the political division we see in America. Liberals and Conservatives often label each other as not only wrong for America, but evil as well. It's healthy to evaluate your belief system and have an understanding that there is no absolute truth. Ultimately, there is no perfect ideology, no perfect system that serves humanity in a way that pleases everyone. I'm glad there are alternative thoughts and mindsets. It's healthy to discuss issues with others that may disagree with you. Be weary of the day when you live in a society where everyone always agree.
I believe that alot of these evil cult organizations are created by intelligence agencies. It's perfect propaganda for these evil organizations when say the US empire bombs innocent women and children with drones. The pictures, stories, and remembrances of the the terrorism that the US empire are long-term recruitment tools for later followers. BUT, the psychological causes are the deeper rooted aspects to be looked at here. These psychological causes are, I belief, the roots for people joining cults in general.
#1- Parental abandonment issues
#2- Self Hatred due to lack of respect
#3- Refusal to own personal responsibility
#4- Willful ignorance
Lastly, the psychopathic programming in society's can't be ignored either.