Eliminating & Extinguishing Extremism

A while back I wrote the following message on extremism. I chose not to share it immediately, but with the election coming up next week, I felt compelled to share this important message.

I recognize this is a long article AND I urge you to please read the full article. If you feel moved by this message, please share it with others!

For reference, here is the official definition of extremism:

Extremism refers to the holding of extreme political or religious views that deviate significantly from what is considered conventional, moderate, or accepted by the majority within a society. Extremists often advocate radical actions or policies to achieve their goals, sometimes endorsing or engaging in violent or unlawful activities. Extremism can manifest in various forms, including political extremism, religious extremism, and ideological extremism, and is characterized by an unwillingness to compromise or tolerate differing viewpoints.

This article is not a commentary on one particular political group or ideology; however, you will undoubtedly see parallels and connections with particular leaders and styles.

Instead, this article is a commentary on how our human body has a natural tendency to embrace extremism and why it is imperative that we instead utilize our full human intelligence to make wiser decisions that move us toward moderation.

What I hope for this message:

• I hope this message will bring greater awareness to why we as humans have a history of being drawn to radicalization and extremism.

• I hope this message will inspire you, regardless of your current political ideology, to more deeply question your current beliefs, feelings, and actions.

• I hope this message will challenge you to creatively seek out more knowledge of differing perspectives and independently explore your understanding of the issues.

• I hope this message will challenge you to compassionately connect others to discover their unique experiences to help guide your decisions.

• I hope this message will challenge you to courageously consider whether you are acting and operating from a place closer to extremism or moderation.

• I hope this perspective brings value to voters who want to find their way back to moderation and away from extremism and polarization.

Most of all, I hope this message might inspire you to re-think whether your current approach might benefit from an expanded perspective and greater understanding of others.

The Issue with Extremism

Extremism is not a new issue; a brief recap of history provides plenty of examples of where extremism has been used to promote a particular group's agenda. Examples can be found in governments or particular political groups such as Hitler's Nazi Germany, Stalin's Great Purge, Rwandan Genocide, ISIS and Al-Qaeda. You might also be familiar with the Crusades, the Spanish Inquisition, the Salem Witch trials, and the Heaven's Gate Cult.

We’ve experienced throughout history the consequences of extremism.

The dehumanization and destruction that emerges from the extreme vilification of the opposing group. The sense superiority and superhuman abilities of those who lead the way.

Given its prevalence throughout history, extremism is an incredibly effective, albeit horrendous, approach to pursuing political, religious, racial, or ideological goals.

But it is my personal belief and contention that:

We must extinguish and eliminate the extremism that has been perpetuated in politics particularly over the previous decade.

We hear references everywhere. People are being pushed to polarize towards ever more extreme ends of the spectrum.

Why does Extremism Occur?

Extremism is believing in the categorical classification of right or wrong thoughts, feelings, and actions. Extremism will always exist because it brings comfort and clarity for those who choose to identify with it.

Extremism emerges when people stop truly knowing feeling and doing based upon their own wisdom. Instead, they trade wisdom for directives and discord.

It feels safer if we can blame someone else for what we don’t like. Our intelligences will cling to explanations that allow us to remain the victim while someone else is the villain. If we are a victim, we don’t have to change how we think, feel, or behave.

• Our brains like to stay the same rather than experience the pain of changing.

• Our hearts don’t want to feel bad having to admit we might be wrong or partially at fault.

• Our guts love this because they don’t have to fear the consequences of being at fault.

Why do we choose extremism?

Extremism provides clarity, certainty, and a sense of belonging that can be compelling and comforting, especially when faced with uncertainty, fear, or perceived threats.

Extremism is simpler than having to think, understand and make sense of the world yourself.

It’s much easier to choose who we will believe and then completely believe them. If I choose to believe everything shared by a leader, religion, or group then I don’t have to figure it out for myself. I can listen to what they say and simply follow it.

It’s simpler to follow than to explore.

Our brains like simple, they can stay the same. Our hearts gravitate to and follow those we feel connected with and it's simpler to stick with connections we know rather than seek out new relationships. Our guts can take action with ease repeating what we’ve heard rather than considering the consequences.

Why do our neural networks like this?

Neural Networks or Intelligences (Head, Heart, & Gut Brains)

-->Our head brains like this because it allows us to use less energy.

Our body's primary purpose is to keep us alive, to survive. Therefore, our bodies will default to using past patterns which require less energy than exploring new possibilities that require the creation of new neural connections.

If we don't have to use our intelligences, we can conserve resources. We can simply accept what we are told or already believe and not allocate energy to gaining new perspectives, thinking about and understanding the meaning of this new information.

-->Our heart brains like this because it allows us to feel less conflicted and avoid feeling empathy or compassion for those who think, feel, or believe something different.

Once again, our body's programmed to prioritize survival and centuries of experience have taught us we are safer in community than on our own. As a result, it's encoded into our DNA to seek the safety of existing within our community.

Therefore, we will naturally attempt to align ourselves with and stay within the boundaries of our cultural community. We will unconsciously reject people whose experience is contradictory to our own. To connect with and empathize with those who are different, puts us at risk of losing the security of our community.

-->Our guts gravitate towards this because we feel safe to act with the support of and backing from another authority or institution.

Rather than engaging deeply to understand our core sense of self or core identity, we adopt the identity of the group, authority, or institution. As a result, we are able to bypass the natural fears and uncertainty that accompany self-exploration.

By embracing this shared identity, we gain the security and confidence necessary to take actions that our individual fears might otherwise prevent. We may find ourselves setting aside our personal values or ethics and instead following the group's direction.

The seductive nature of extremism plays to all our human weaknesses. It taps into our bodies past patterns and capitalizes upon them.

Why is Extremism bad?

As soon as we fall victim to extremism in any form, we stop expanding. We become stuck in the extremism and cut off from our growth and evolution.

Extremism eliminates our ability to access our full human intelligence. We lose access to our full cognitive, emotional, social, and intuitive intelligences that make us human.

Extremism intentionally triggers our sense of survival.

To create a sense of urgency, situations are framed as life-or-death decisions calling for the most extreme of action. It capitalizes on our fears or identity to mobilize people into action.

When our identity is connected to the extremist message, we feel compelled to align ourselves with it. The more aligned and intertwined we become the more difficult it becomes to deviate and separate from it.

Even when our inner intelligence is telling us to do so.

Extremism is not Just Different Opinions or Healthy Conflict

We must not confuse extremism with intelligent opinions or beliefs.

Truly wise perspectives, opinions, and beliefs are formed after accessing, aligning, and applying all our intelligences.

1. When we take time to think, understand, and make meaning of that information.

2. When we process our feelings, consider our values, and empathize by relating to others.

3. When we sense our intuition to keep us safe and take action that is authentically aligned with our core self.

The combination of all three of intelligences aligned and expressed at their best, leads us to the wisest outcome or decision for ourselves. Our wise opinions and beliefs are determined internally, not externally by someone else.

But that doesn't mean we will avoid conflict...

Just because our intelligences lead us to an opinion or decision, does not mean everyone will come to the same conclusion. We will undoubtedly find ourselves with differing perspectives that come into conflict with those who hold different opinions and beliefs.

My intelligences are not the same as yours and therefore we will likely view situations differently. These differences are incredibly valuable and important.

Our different intelligences challenge us to consider alternative perspectives, ideas, and new ways of thinking, feeling, and behaving.

Engaging in meaningful dialogue and debate is a valuable exchange of ideas and perspectives. It’s a worthwhile use of our time as it can expand our own intelligence and awareness of the world.

The United States democracy was founded, in large part, on this premise. The revolutionary concept of a government created by the people, and for the people - a system where power is derived from the those impacted by its decisions.

Rather than be guided by the dictates of a single authority or leader, the United States democracy depends upon the active engagement, intelligence, and wisdom of the people to collectively determine the direction of our country.

By allowing extremism to permeate our political culture, we are allowing the very fabric of our country to be destroyed. Instead, I urge us all to consider these lessons of the past, engage actively with our intelligences, and move instead towards moderation.

Moving Towards Moderation

We must move towards moderation and a meaningful message of creative, compassionate and courageous communication.

By fully engaging our intelligences and neural networks within and with one another we can move toward one another rather than away.

For reference here is the definition of Moderation: Moderation refers to the practice of avoiding extremes in one's beliefs, actions, and policies, favoring balanced, reasonable, and centrist approaches. Moderates typically advocate for compromise, tolerance, and dialogue, striving to find middle ground and solutions that are acceptable to a broad range of people within a society. They are often characterized by their willingness to consider multiple perspectives and their commitment to peaceful and lawful means of achieving goals.

Moderation is the willingness to curiously consider one another's thoughts, feelings, and actions.

Unfortunately, moderation is more challenging than the simplicity of extremism. Moderation requires us to challenge perspectives, have curiosity towards possibilities, and consciously consider them all.

As people access their wisdom by really knowing, truly feeling, and deeply sensing moderation naturally emerges.

People are willing to use wisdom to engage and evolve.

Moderation requires:

• Our human intelligences to be operating at their very best.

• A willingness to embrace the discomfort of disagreement.

• Us to recognize our part in situations and challenges.

• A focus on understanding, empathy, and intuition in pursuit of positive possibilities.

How do we Access this Wisdom of Moderation

---> Our brains must expand their perspective with new information and knowledge and fully explore their meaning to cultivate creative new ideas.

---> Our hearts must connect with our values, fully feel our emotions, and relate to other human beings with empathy and compassion.

---> Our guts must overcome our fears with the courage to take authentically aligned action.

We will then reap the reward of these efforts, receiving the wisdom we need.

Moderation is the higher path of those willing to walk where their wisdom is their guide. Rather than follow the path of an extremist on faith alone.

Moderation is undoubtedly riskier, harder and more complex than extremism.

• We must risk the safety of staying the same and the potential pain of changing.

• We must access, align and apply our intelligences rather than repeat what we’re told.

• We must strive to expand our knowledge to comprehend, hold, and process more perspectives simultaneously in order to develop a deeper and more profound understanding.

But our brains and bodies are more than capable of this transformation. Including:

• The flexibility of neural plasticity to create and rewire past neural pathways.

• The capacity to connect with others, expressing empathy and compassion for their lived experience and perspective.

• The inherent intuition to guide us in our actions and behaviors as we navigate new experiences.

The choice is not easy but is absolutely essential to humanity.

Consciously Consider Our Inner Self

Regardless of the beliefs, opinions, or parties we hold or identify with, we must constantly consider the possibility we’ve become extremist. We must courageously challenge ourselves to ensure we are not unknowingly entrapped by extremism.

We must courageously embrace the challenge of intentionally engaging in moderation with wisdom. We must be willing to remove the blinders to see clearly whether those we follow are wise and engaging in moderation.

Are you unknowingly entrapped by extremism?

Are those you follow wise and moderate, or are they extremists:

• Those attempting to spread hatred, humiliation, and harm.

• Those who would hurt others with vicious unprovoked attacks.

• Those who would spread lies to further their own objectives.

If you look through a microscope, you will undoubtedly always find dirt but that alone does not make a person dirty.

Legitimate disagreement on issues, policy, law, process, or approach indicate moderation. Absolute loyalty, singular reality, and denial of contradictions indicate extremism.

Humility, honesty, and vulnerability are indicative of moderation. Heroism, hatred, hoax, and hyperbole are indicative of extremism.

Conclusion

We must always beware of extremism, even when it aligns with our opinions and beliefs, for extremism only becomes increasingly extreme.

Over time, our alignment with extremism will erode our sense of self outside of it, forming an unbridgeable chasm of separation between us and other humans.

The longer it exists the more violent and vicious the thoughts, feelings, and actions become. What starts as frustration, escalates to anger. From there it grows to hatred and ultimately loathing or abhorrence. It’s what has led to genocide and the holocaust.

Let us not allow extremism to once again suppress our human intelligences and wisdom. Instead, engage fully and wisely before making any important decision in your life.

To my fellow American citizens, I am not trying to influence you to vote in a particular way or for a particular party or issue. Instead, I urge you to consider, before voting, taking the time to fully engage your intelligences in your decision.

• Connect with the compassion of your heart and the wisdom if your emotions, values, and relationships to other human beings.

• Connect with the creativity of your head and the knowledge, perspectives, and understanding it has about the issues and candidates.

• Connect with the courage of your gut to overcome any fears, and instead intuitively sense the wisest action you can take that aligns authentically with your core sense of self.

Here is our Wisdoming Guide which we are making available to anyone without any request for an email or subscription. Please share with anyone who might benefit!