[Neurons] 2016 Neurons -- Terrorism-- Meaningful or Meaningfully Toxic?

[L. Michael Hall]

From: L. Michael Hall

2016 "Neurons" Meta Reflections - #34

July 13, 2016

 


 

TERRORISM - MEANINGFUL

OR MEANINGFULLY TOXIC?

 

Last week I was in China and after presenting the Self-Actualization
Quadrants and the Hierarchy of Needs during Meta-Coach Training, several
people asked me about the "meaningfulness" that the Terrorists must get from
their activities.

"Are they not at a high level of self-actualization?"

"They have lots of meanings, it is meaningful to them, and they are
performing to live out their beliefs.  Isn't that self-actualization?"

 

I answered with a short and definitive answer, "No!!"  Well, as you can
imagine, that created a lot of conversation!  They wanted to know, "Why
not?"  "What is the distinction that would prevent us from explaining it in
that way?"  Simple.  A thing can be "meaningful" and still be very sick!
Someone can give toxic meanings to something which will thereby create toxic
responses.  Maslow explained this in terms of "neurosis" or human pathology.
He ought to know, he wrote a book on Abnormal Psychology.  This also
explains the structure of human addictions.  Yes a person can give lots and
lots of meanings to something as the Islamic Terrorists do which, in turn,
drives them to behead infidels, go to war, strap on suicide vests, become
mass murderers, etc.   But that does not by any stretch of the imagination
mean that they are self-actualizing.

 

Lots of meanings, and even "meaningfulness," does not guarantee the
correctness of their thinking, healthfulness, or being a "spiritual" person.
To determine these things we have to step back (go meta) and reflect on the
quality of the meanings that are being created.

Does this reflect the best of human health and well-being?

Does this promote love, compassion, care, joy, serenity, justice,
appreciation, etc.?

Does this improve the quality of relationships between people?

Does this help us resolve conflicts and find ways to understand each other?

 

In the Neuro-Semantic perspective this is the quality control question that
looks at the ecology of the meanings, the effects it has on relationships,
health, conflict resolution, healthy negotiations, etc.

Is it realistic?  Is it reality-oriented?

Is it correct according to psychology or to theology?

 

The Nazis did the same.  They gave lots and lots of meanings to the ideology
that Hitler promoted in his book, Mein Kamp.  For many of them, it was
"meaningful."  It was also sick.  It was sick to the point of being toxic,
dehumanizing, and destructive.  It brought about World War II.  Similarly,
the misuse of Islam today by the fanatics and their ideology has brought
about what will eventually be recognized as World War III.  After all, look
at all the countries being attacked by these people.  In just the past two
weeks- the terrorist war showed up in six countries that got international
news attention.  The bad news is-World War III is already upon us.

 

World War III?  In just two weeks there have been hundreds of murders in
Orlando, Istanbul, Bangladesh, Baghdad, and other places as they have killed
so many innocent children and civilians. The Radical Islamic Terrorists are
certainly not "contained" in spite of what President Obama proclamation.
They may be suffering some set-backs in Syria and Iraq, but they are
certainly not a second-rate J.V. (Junior Varsity) team.  They are deadly,
they are serious, and they are fanatics and they are perverting Islam giving
it a terrible public image.

 

Whether it is ISIS, Al Quada, the Taliban, or some other Islamic Terrorist
group, these fanatics "think" they are serving God (their meaning) by
killing, destroying, and murdering.  Yet is pathological meaning and the
most outrageous behaviors that humans can commit, not behaviors connected
with being spiritual, serving God or mankind.  Whatever happened to
kindness, love, and humility?  These fanatics know nothing of these.  And
they are using Allah, the Koran, and the Islamic faith to justify or
buttress up their stupid and destructive purposes.

 

The consequences of what they are doing are dire.  They are creating an
increasingly dangerous world which is provoking more and more governments to
create more and more security measures and to be on the lookout for
terrorists.  This is create more fear and paranoia in political leaders
(which cannot be good!).  They are contaminating the Islam religion
encouraging naive young people to join an idealistic Nazi-like movement
which is doomed to end in death and destruction.   Reports say that in the
most recent attack in Bandladesh, the terrorists had people quote passages
from the Koran and those who got them wrong were killed.  How sick is that?

 

Surprising or not surprising, these Radical Islamic Terrorists are just as
willing and contented to murder Moslems who do not share their fanaticism!
Nearly all of the nearly three hundred people murdered by the bombs in
Baghdad were Moslems.  So these terrorists are as much a terror to decent,
peace-loving and spiritual Moslems as they are to Westerners and Infidels. 

 

When will the larger Moslem community around the world rise up in force to
distance themselves from these fanatics?   Some have, there are beginnings.
Yet there are thousands who sympathize with these radical fundamentalists
and provide them safe havens for promoting their hate and intolerance.  That
has to stop.

 

Hopefully there will be a stronger unification of countries including Moslem
countries to create a committed decision to eliminate ISIS and the other
terrorists.  Terrorism under any justification is a psychological and moral
sickness driven by toxic meanings.  It is an evil to human dignity and human
nature.  The good news is that it has to be cured by spreading healthy
meanings.  Let's go to work! 

 


 

 

 

L. Michael Hall, Ph.D.

               Neuro-Semantics Executive Director 

               Neuro-Semantics International

P.O. Box 8

Clifton, CO. 81520 USA                             

               1 970-523-7877 

                    Dr. Hall's email:
<mailto:meta at acsol.net\hich\af31506\dbch\af31505\loch\f31506> meta at acsol.net


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