Comments on: Terrorism doesn’t just happen because a group of people decide to hate us http://www.justinbfung.com/2010/06/12/terrorism-doesnt-just-happen-because-a-group-of-people-decide-to-hate-us/ a.k.a. gershom's journal Wed, 08 Feb 2012 06:07:39 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: erik http://www.justinbfung.com/2010/06/12/terrorism-doesnt-just-happen-because-a-group-of-people-decide-to-hate-us/comment-page-1/#comment-889 erik Tue, 15 Jun 2010 23:27:23 +0000 http://gershomsjournal.com/?p=2912#comment-889 This is an intersting topic, and although Greg Mortenson brings a unique (and unparraleled) experience to bear on the issue, the existing data doesn't indicate a causal link between "lack of opportunities" and terrorism. Indeed, according to a study conducted by Krueger and Maleckoa, that the average education level of terrorists is actually quite high compared to the average citizen. I realize that Mortenson could also be talking about opportunities in a more macro sense; that is, while education isn't a factor, having access to a future through plausible employment opportunities in certain areas could breed discouragement (nihilism) and terrorism. Even with that caveat, however, that wouldn't explain terrorism in wide swaths where they are present. This is an intersting topic, and although Greg Mortenson brings a unique (and unparraleled) experience to bear on the issue, the existing data doesn’t indicate a causal link between “lack of opportunities” and terrorism. Indeed, according to a study conducted by Krueger and Maleckoa, that the average education level of terrorists is actually quite high compared to the average citizen.

I realize that Mortenson could also be talking about opportunities in a more macro sense; that is, while education isn’t a factor, having access to a future through plausible employment opportunities in certain areas could breed discouragement (nihilism) and terrorism. Even with that caveat, however, that wouldn’t explain terrorism in wide swaths where they are present.

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