The Snat v. The Nobel Laureate

Amartya Sen has an article in the Guardian which I could not disagree with more, if he had cited religious leadership. Modern economic models can even predict the number of Disaffected Elements which will be found with any level of Population, as well as any direction of economic development. Disaffection centers around lack of economic opportunity, prestige, and positions of Power for economically disenfranchised individuals. The cadre of Terrorists comes from basically educated young males, who cannot find the economic positional levels of their Parents and Relatives. They are most often disassociated from their families, due their forced migration elsewhere to find any employment at all. The employment found most often remains inferior to what their educational level has led them to expect, while they are impacted by the loneliness of the Migrant in full measure.

The Disaffected find Religion to present the only pattern of a sense of family, where they can meet companions and a feeling of integration. Religion provides this aura, but only with the concept of Sin, a component necessary for the definition of Enemies. Wrongful behavior passes beyond to become evil Intent with the introduction of Sin, and Religion teaches that Evil must be fought, and hopefully, destroyed. The Disaffected’s position leaves a context where busy People do not have the time to pay attention to Strangers in their midst, and becomes an evil design to destroy the Righteous. Young males naturally assume that fighting must contain some element of violence; the Terrorist is born.

I have always resisted the belief that the majorities of Society are at fault in the development of Terrorists, and place the blame on Religion itself. The later assimilate the Disaffected gratefully, ignoring the deviancy of behavioral tendencies exhibited, as the Disaffected bring much emotional commitment and dedication to the practice of Religion. Religion defines Sin and Evil, and teaches the Disaffected to search out both, and fight them without definition of method. Amartya Sen adopts the religious conviction that the greater society must be at fault, due to their pedagogical faults which should be corrected; such an attitude will never attain any success in fighting Terrorist activity. lgl