We've been thinking, talking, and consequently doing everything wrong about "terrorism" because of our total inability to empathize with the "terrorists".
The conventional stipulation is that the reason for all the violent activities around the world stems from the desire of a group of Islamist to establish a global caliphate based on sharia law, and their desire to overwhelmingly paralyze western economies in the process.
I'm suggesting that by thinking this way we totally miss the reasons, and therefor the solutions, to all this unproductive behavior.
It's much easier for political leaders to point their fingers at "who's fault it is"'rather then taking actions that would resolve all these conflicts.
(By-the-way, how many more centuries is the human species/race going to be killing each other rather then protecting one another ?)
Time after time this strategy of distracting the general population with so-called "controversial issues" ( abortion, religion, etc) has worked to distract us all from the main event, which is the acquisition of virtually infinite wealth by the virtually infinitely wealthy.
Imagine us all in a dark and deep hole in the ground fighting and distrusting each other for the scraps that fall into this deep and dark hole from the surface, where mega rich smart and greedy people operate with essentially no restraints. How do they keep us from climbing up from this hole to the surface where we can equitably participate in the generational progress of our selves, our families, our communities, and our fellow humans to establish and enhance our well-being, and to unshackle ourselves from the economic "boxes" that have limited our ability to become fully self-actualized?
Very simply, they throw down at us these political smoke bombs that ensure we are distracted by entirely irrelevant issues (such as religious differences, abortion, etc) That keep us fighting each other rather then focusing together on the main event.
Well, this latest global panic of "Islamist terrorism" is just another example of a political smoke bomb. It masks the real problems and solutions.
Fortunately ( or unfortunately) this strategy is being used by those running the show on the other side ( the "evil dowers").
Ignorant, hysterical, frustrated, and powerless people are being motivated (ON BOTH SIDES), by religious demagoguery, to mobilize and participate in unbalanced political actions meant to distract them, and use them for other purposes.
Religion is not the reason.
It's what motivates people who have nothing to live for, nothing to loose, and who only have hope for post-life salvation.
Power and money is the reason.
Did Jesus or Mohammad or Elijah seek power/money/materialism?
No, because they truly believed in whatever they believed in.
Did they seek to impose their system on others or did they invite others to join them?
Ever since, they have been used by those seeking material value and power over others.
Perhaps we've reached a tipping point? Maybe the powerless have "had it" in a way that liberates them to totally disregard other lives.
No hope, no power, no prospects, no control, no respect, no education.
What would you expect all those would add up to ?
They key, no matter how challenging, is to unify. To establish and enhance hope, power, prospects, control, respect, and education ( and probably other things that contribute to human well-being) for all people. And it's naive, short-sighted, and lazy to think, talk, and do otherwise.
