Extremists are propelled by belief in a saving mission that others will initially oppose.

Evidence

A white supremacist felt as if he “had really discovered the truth and … had to let everybody know.” And another felt like a “superhero.” He continued: “Even though half the white race doesn’t understand what you’re doing, in your mind, you’re going to save them. You’re like Superman and you’re doing something good and noble.” — Ryan Andrew Brown, Todd C. Helmus, Rajeev Ramchand, Alina I. Palimaru, Sarah Weilant, Ashley L. Rhoades, and Liisa Hiatt (RAND Corporation), Violent Extremism in America, 376

Categorization

• XREF: The martyr-hero self-narrative may sediment identity against external disconfirmation — pertinent to testing whether withdrawal of conflict alone can dislodge it. — connects to: Being recruited, seen, and valued is a powerful early pull into extremism. — Ryan Andrew Brown, Todd C. Helmus, Rajeev Ramchand, Alina I. Palimaru, Sarah Weilant, Ashley L. Rhoades, and Liisa Hiatt (RAND Corporation), Violent Extremism in America:…, 373; Many extremists proactively seek out reasons and philosophy to abandon radicalism. — Ryan Andrew Brown, Todd C. Helmus, Rajeev Ramchand, Alina I. Palimaru, Sarah Weilant, Ashley L. Rhoades, and Liisa Hiatt (RAND Corporation), Violent Extremism in America:…, 443; Extremist groups sustain membership by offering family-like bonds, power, and mission. — Ryan Andrew Brown, Todd C. Helmus, Rajeev Ramchand, Alina I. Palimaru, Sarah Weilant, Ashley L. Rhoades, and Liisa Hiatt (RAND Corporation), Violent Extremism in America:…, 41 (+4 more)

Broader Connections

• Extremist groups sustain membership by offering family-like bonds, power, and mission. #expands (0.82) — Ryan Andrew Brown, Todd C. Helmus, Rajeev Ramchand, Alina I. Palimaru, Sarah Weilant, Ashley L. Rhoades, and Liisa Hiatt (RAND Corporation), Violent Extremism in America, 41
• Many extremists proactively seek out reasons and philosophy to abandon radicalism. #complicates (0.78) — Ryan Andrew Brown, Todd C. Helmus, Rajeev Ramchand, Alina I. Palimaru, Sarah Weilant, Ashley L. Rhoades, and Liisa Hiatt (RAND Corporation), Violent Extremism in America, 443
• Terrorists engage morality to justify their mission while disengaging it for lethal acts #expands (0.74) — Albert Bandura, Moral Disengagement, 2253
• Counter-jihad conspiratorial narratives can motivate individual acts of extreme violence. #exemplifies (0.72) — A. Hussain, N. Meer, Framing Muslim Integration, 544
• Martyrdom movements can backfire and accelerate conversion to the oppressor’s faith #complicates (0.71) — John V. Tolan, Saracens, 540
• Stopping extremism and abandoning its beliefs are distinct forms of exit #qualifies (0.70) — Ryan Andrew Brown, Todd C. Helmus, Rajeev Ramchand, Alina I. Palimaru, Sarah Weilant, Ashley L. Rhoades, and Liisa Hiatt (RAND Corporation), Violent Extremism in America, 189