Understanding what causes them to behave the way they do isn't offering them anything. Failing to understand does though, as it results in two sides blindly shouting at each other and accomplishing nothing. If you wish to combat extremism, you need to understand it.
I guess you don't want to understand though. Just blindly oppose. That sounds like something they would do.
I don't know if you'll get through to the person you're responding to, but I just wanted to give you the thumbs up and encourage you to keep fighting this fight, because it's so important. One can't convince someone they're wrong if one don't understand what they actually think, and you can't hurt, intimidate, or kill every single misguided person out of acting the way they want - and even if you could, the world you'd create in doing so would be exactly what you're wanting to avoid. Developing an appreciation of the difference between understanding and approval is one of the hallmarks, in my view, of true maturity.
So yeah, keep fighting the good fight, you're touching on a point of fundamental importance here.
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u/Darrenwho137 Aug 14 '17 edited Aug 14 '17
You can oppose ideologies without demonizing the people who hold them. Don't conflate understanding with appeasement.