> > Activist Mailing List - http://users.westnet.gr/~cgian/ > > [Continued from Part 1] > > > 7. Extremists Tend To Have A Manichean Worldview. That is, they tend > to see the world in terms of absolutes of good and evil, for them or > against them, with no middle ground or intermediate positions. All > issues are ultimately moral issues of right and wrong. Their slogan > tends to be "he who is not with me, is against me!" > > 8. Extremists Very Often Advocate Some Degree Of Censorship And > Repression Of Their Opponents And Critics. This may range from an > active campaign to keep them from media access and a public hearing, > as in the case of blacklisting, banning, or "quarantining" dissident > spokesmen, or actually lobbying for repressive legislation against > speaking, teaching or instructing the "forbidden" information. They > may attempt to keep certain books out of stores or off of library > shelves or card catalogs, discourage advertising with threats of > reprisals, keep spokesmen for offending views off the airwaves, or > certain columnists out of newspapers. In each instance the goal is > some kind of information control. Extremists would prefer that you > only listen to them. > > 9. Extremists Tend To Identify Themselves In Terms Of Who Their > Enemies Are, who they hate and who hates them! Accordingly, they often > become emotionally bound to their enemies, who are often competing > extremists on the opposite pole of the ideological spectrum. They tend > to emulate their enemies in certain respects, adopting the same style > and tactics to a certain degree. Even "anti-extremist" groups often > exhibit extremist behavior in this regard! > > 10. Extremists Are Given To Arguments By Intimidation. That is, they > frame their arguments in such a way as to intimidate others into > accepting their premises and conclusions. To disagree with them, they > imply, is to ally oneself with the devil or give aid and comfort to > the "bad guys." This ploy allows them to define the parameters of > debate, cut off troublesome lines of argument, and keep their > opponents on the defensive. > > 11. Wide Use Of Slogans, Buzzwords And Thought-Stopping Cliches. For > many extremists simple slogans substitute for more complex > abstractions in spite of a high level of intelligence. Shortcuts in > thinking and reasoning matters out seems to be necessary in order to > appease their prejudices and to avoid troublesome facts and > counter-arguments. > > 12. Doomsday Thinking. Extremists often predict dire or catastrophic > consequences from a situation or from failure to follow a specific > course, and they exhibit a kind of "crisis-mindedness." It can be a > Communist takeover, a Nazi revival, nuclear war, currency collapse, > worldwide famine, drought, earthquakes, floods or the wrath of God. > Whatever it is, it's just around the corner unless we follow their > program and listen to their special insights or the wisdom that only > the enlightened have access to! > > 13. Extremists Often Claim Some Kind Of Moral Or Other Superiority > Over Others. Most obvious are claims of general racial superiority -- > a master race, for example. Less obvious are claims of ennoblement > because of alleged victimhood, a special relationship with God, > membership in a special "elite" or revolutionary vanguard. They also > take great offense when one is "insensitive" enough to dispute these > claims or challenge their authority. > > 14. Extremists Tend To Believe That It's OK To Do Bad Things In The > Service Of A "Good" Cause. They may deliberately lie, distort, > misquote, slander or libel their opponents and critics, or advocate > censorship or repression in "special cases" involving their enemies. > This is done with no remorse as long as it's useful in defeating the > Commies or Fascists (or whoever). Defeating an "enemy" becomes an > all-encompassing goal to which other values are subordinate. With > extremists, the ends often justify the means. > > 15. Extremists Tend To Place Great Value On Emotional Responses. They > have a reverence for propaganda, which they may call education or > consciousness-raising. Consequently, they tend to drape themselves and > their cause in a flag of patriotism, a banner of righteousness or a > shroud of victimhood. Their crusades against "enemies" may invoke > images of the swastika, the hammer and sickle or some other symbol, as > the case may be. In each instance the symbol represents an extremely > odious concept in terms of their ideological premises. This ploy > attempts to invoke an uncritical gut-level sympathy and acceptance of > their position which discourages examination of their premises or the > conclusions which they claim necessarily derive from them. > > 16. Some Extremists, Particularly Those Involved In "Cults" Or > religious movements such as fundamental evangelical Christians, > Zionists, members of the numerous new age groups and followers of > certain "gurus," claim some kind of supernatural, mystical or > divinely-inspired rationale for their beliefs and actions. Their > willingness to force their will on others, censor and silence > opponents and critics, and in some cases actively persecute certain > groups, is ordained by God! This is surprisingly effective because > many people, when confronted by this kind of claim, are reluctant to > challenge it because it represents "religious belief" or because of > the sacred cow status of some religions. Extremists traits tend to > have three things in common: > > 1. The represent some attempt to distort reality for themselves and > others. > > 2. They try to discourage critical examination of their beliefs, > either by false logic, rhetorical trickery or some kind of > intimidation. > > 3. They represent an attempt to act out private, personal grudges or > rationalize the pursuit of special interests in the name of public > welfare. > > Remember, human beings are imperfect and fallible. Even a rational, > honest, well-intentioned person may resort to some of these traits > from time to time. Everyone has strong feelings about some issues and > anyone can get excited and "blow off" once in awhile. We still retain > our basic common sense, respect for facts and good will toward others. > The difference between most of us and the bonafide extremist is that > these traits are an habitual and established part of their repertoire. > Extremists believe they're doing the right thing when they act this > way in the service of their cause. > > The truth of a proposition cannot be inferred merely from the manner > in which arguments in its behalf are presented, from the fact that its > advocates censor and harass their opponents, or because they commit > any other act or combination of acts suggested in this essay. > Ultimately, the truth of any proposition rests on the evidence for it. > To impeach a proposition merely because it is advocated by obvious > "extremists" is to dismiss it ad hominem, that is, because of who > proposes it. The fact is that extremists are sometimes right -- > sometimes very right -- because they often deal with the gut issues, > the controversial issues many people choose to avoid. So, before you > perfunctorily write off somebody as an "extremist" and close your eyes > and ears to his message, take a look at his evidence. It just might be > that he's on to something! > > From: http://members.aol.com/vlntryst/wn27.html#extreme
Activist Mailing List - http://users.westnet.gr/~cgian/ [Continued from Part 1] 7. Extremists Tend To Have A Manichean Worldview. That is, they tend to see the world in terms of absolutes of good and evil, for them or against them, with no middle ground or intermediate positions. All issues are ultimately moral issues of right and wrong. Their slogan tends to be "he who is not with me, is against me!" 8. Extremists Very Often Advocate Some Degree Of Censorship And Repression Of Their Opponents And Critics. This may range from an active campaign to keep them from media access and a public hearing, as in the case of blacklisting, banning, or "quarantining" dissident spokesmen, or actually lobbying for repressive legislation against speaking, teaching or instructing the "forbidden" information. They may attempt to keep certain books out of stores or off of library shelves or card catalogs, discourage advertising with threats of reprisals, keep spokesmen for offending views off the airwaves, or certain columnists out of newspapers. In each instance the goal is some kind of information control. Extremists would prefer that you only listen to them. 9. Extremists Tend To Identify Themselves In Terms Of Who Their Enemies Are, who they hate and who hates them! Accordingly, they often become emotionally bound to their enemies, who are often competing extremists on the opposite pole of the ideological spectrum. They tend to emulate their enemies in certain respects, adopting the same style and tactics to a certain degree. Even "anti-extremist" groups often exhibit extremist behavior in this regard! 10. Extremists Are Given To Arguments By Intimidation. That is, they frame their arguments in such a way as to intimidate others into accepting their premises and conclusions. To disagree with them, they imply, is to ally oneself with the devil or give aid and comfort to the "bad guys." This ploy allows them to define the parameters of debate, cut off troublesome lines of argument, and keep their opponents on the defensive. 11. Wide Use Of Slogans, Buzzwords And Thought-Stopping Cliches. For many extremists simple slogans substitute for more complex abstractions in spite of a high level of intelligence. Shortcuts in thinking and reasoning matters out seems to be necessary in order to appease their prejudices and to avoid troublesome facts and counter-arguments. 12. Doomsday Thinking. Extremists often predict dire or catastrophic consequences from a situation or from failure to follow a specific course, and they exhibit a kind of "crisis-mindedness." It can be a Communist takeover, a Nazi revival, nuclear war, currency collapse, worldwide famine, drought, earthquakes, floods or the wrath of God. Whatever it is, it's just around the corner unless we follow their program and listen to their special insights or the wisdom that only the enlightened have access to! 13. Extremists Often Claim Some Kind Of Moral Or Other Superiority Over Others. Most obvious are claims of general racial superiority -- a master race, for example. Less obvious are claims of ennoblement because of alleged victimhood, a special relationship with God, membership in a special "elite" or revolutionary vanguard. They also take great offense when one is "insensitive" enough to dispute these claims or challenge their authority. 14. Extremists Tend To Believe That It's OK To Do Bad Things In The Service Of A "Good" Cause. They may deliberately lie, distort, misquote, slander or libel their opponents and critics, or advocate censorship or repression in "special cases" involving their enemies. This is done with no remorse as long as it's useful in defeating the Commies or Fascists (or whoever). Defeating an "enemy" becomes an all-encompassing goal to which other values are subordinate. With extremists, the ends often justify the means. 15. Extremists Tend To Place Great Value On Emotional Responses. They have a reverence for propaganda, which they may call education or consciousness-raising. Consequently, they tend to drape themselves and their cause in a flag of patriotism, a banner of righteousness or a shroud of victimhood. Their crusades against "enemies" may invoke images of the swastika, the hammer and sickle or some other symbol, as the case may be. In each instance the symbol represents an extremely odious concept in terms of their ideological premises. This ploy attempts to invoke an uncritical gut-level sympathy and acceptance of their position which discourages examination of their premises or the conclusions which they claim necessarily derive from them. 16. Some Extremists, Particularly Those Involved In "Cults" Or religious movements such as fundamental evangelical Christians, Zionists, members of the numerous new age groups and followers of certain "gurus," claim some kind of supernatural, mystical or divinely-inspired rationale for their beliefs and actions. Their willingness to force their will on others, censor and silence opponents and critics, and in some cases actively persecute certain groups, is ordained by God! This is surprisingly effective because many people, when confronted by this kind of claim, are reluctant to challenge it because it represents "religious belief" or because of the sacred cow status of some religions. Extremists traits tend to have three things in common: 1. The represent some attempt to distort reality for themselves and others. 2. They try to discourage critical examination of their beliefs, either by false logic, rhetorical trickery or some kind of intimidation. 3. They represent an attempt to act out private, personal grudges or rationalize the pursuit of special interests in the name of public welfare. Remember, human beings are imperfect and fallible. Even a rational, honest, well-intentioned person may resort to some of these traits from time to time. Everyone has strong feelings about some issues and anyone can get excited and "blow off" once in awhile. We still retain our basic common sense, respect for facts and good will toward others. The difference between most of us and the bonafide extremist is that these traits are an habitual and established part of their repertoire. Extremists believe they're doing the right thing when they act this way in the service of their cause. The truth of a proposition cannot be inferred merely from the manner in which arguments in its behalf are presented, from the fact that its advocates censor and harass their opponents, or because they commit any other act or combination of acts suggested in this essay. Ultimately, the truth of any proposition rests on the evidence for it. To impeach a proposition merely because it is advocated by obvious "extremists" is to dismiss it ad hominem, that is, because of who proposes it. The fact is that extremists are sometimes right -- sometimes very right -- because they often deal with the gut issues, the controversial issues many people choose to avoid. So, before you perfunctorily write off somebody as an "extremist" and close your eyes and ears to his message, take a look at his evidence. It just might be that he's on to something! From: http://members.aol.com/vlntryst/wn27.html#extreme ______________________________________________________________________ To unsubscribe, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Start Your Own FREE Email List at http://www.listbot.com/ ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com
