By Paul Weiser
It’s easy to identify the psychological stance of today’s violent irrationals who fill the news. What is much harder - for that stance is old and has defeated many - is to apply its proper cure.
There is (peace, friends) a cycle of violence in the Middle East and American politics. But this cycle is not (for example) between Israelis and Muslims. It is, rather, within the individual Islamofascist or KOS-ic radical personality: frustration is allowed to engender hatred; expressing that hatred feels good. It explains; it provides rationale for action; it becomes so central that renewing and re-experiencing it is the overriding aim of life - to which end progressively more violent rhetoric and action are required and sought.
What we have, in other words, is true addiction - complete with an increasing tolerance for the stimulant. It is psychological addiction, but no less real since addiction’s defining characteristic - the addict devotes his life to obeying the perceived dictates of the stimulant - is undeniably present.
But how to cure these addictions before their addicts overdose, giving us lousy government and Islamist terrorism? Prognosis is poor: the best cure for addiction involves the addict recognizing his problem and virtuously going cold turkey to kick it... unlikely where the addictive principal is pseudo-moral. There are two other models for recovery imposed from outside: methadone (substitution) and paraquat (poisoning the drug). The world needs no screaming thugs in other causes, so methadone is out.
That leaves paraquat: ensure that each expression of hatred sickens the addict. Military reprisals are one aspect of that strategy; another is to deconstruct Islam and leftist politics (with “higher criticism”) until they’re laughingstocks. An addict will endure much for his fix... but not universal ridicule, for his life’s purpose must at least be taken seriously.
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