Revenge is a motive force for the continuation of conflicts of all kinds. Usually vengeance is directed at those that are perceived to have done harm to the avenger. In the process of radicalisation, however, this chapter suggests that resentments for small-scale slights become something to ruminate on, and then are later incorporated into ideology. The chip on the shoulder prompts a one man against the world mindset, and then over-reaction by the state demonstrates to the radicalised that this is indeed the case. While many radicalised do step away, if the us versus them relationship remains, everything and everybody can be the object of the vengeance. This chapter is based on doctoral and post-doctoral fieldwork, alongside biographies of Anders Breivik and Usman Khan. It argues that when them is imagined as one body, the radicalised see even striking out at the part of the system that is trying to help as justified.

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Misplaced Retribution: Revenge, Nihilism and Radicalisation Against the State

  • Gavin Bailey

摘要

Revenge is a motive force for the continuation of conflicts of all kinds. Usually vengeance is directed at those that are perceived to have done harm to the avenger. In the process of radicalisation, however, this chapter suggests that resentments for small-scale slights become something to ruminate on, and then are later incorporated into ideology. The chip on the shoulder prompts a one man against the world mindset, and then over-reaction by the state demonstrates to the radicalised that this is indeed the case. While many radicalised do step away, if the us versus them relationship remains, everything and everybody can be the object of the vengeance. This chapter is based on doctoral and post-doctoral fieldwork, alongside biographies of Anders Breivik and Usman Khan. It argues that when them is imagined as one body, the radicalised see even striking out at the part of the system that is trying to help as justified.