In today's hyper-connected world, children are more exposed than ever to extremist ideologies that can profoundly influence young minds. There has been an enormous uptick in groups ranging from white supremacists to religious extremists who are aggressively targeting children as young as 11 on platforms popular with teens. For example, a neo-Nazi organization recently ran a social media recruitment campaign using gaming imagery and memes that received 800,000 views from boys aged 12-15.
In this episode, Dr. Emily Bashaw, a clinical psychologist and expert on radicalization, discusses the alarming trend of extremist groups targeting teenagers on social media platforms.
She explains the concept of addictive ideologies and how vulnerable individuals can be influenced by propaganda and tribal beliefs. Dr. Bashaw emphasizes the importance of building resilience and critical thinking skills in teenagers to protect them from extremist influences. She also highlights the role of parents in fostering open communication and engaging in difficult conversations with their teens.
The conversation concludes with a reminder to humanize others and promote acceptance while demanding personal growth.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Chapters
00:00 Introduction
01:03 Addictive Ideologies and Radicalization
04:07 The Influence of Social Media and Online Behavior
05:24 Impact on Teenagers
09:31 Signs of Targeting and Messages
10:42 Preventing Extremist Influences
13:48 Engaging in Difficult Conversations
15:05 Understanding Extremist Recruitment Tactics
18:36 Promoting Agency and Critical Thinking
20:45 Acceptance and Demanding More
25:49 Humanizing Others and Building Resilience
29:34 Engaging with Teens
31:46 Conclusion
Resources Mentioned in This Episode
Thanks for Listening!
Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others would appreciate the guidance and encouragement, please take a quick moment to rate and review. Reviews from my listeners are extremely valuable and greatly appreciated. Review on iTunes.
Subscribe to the Podcast
If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, YouTube, Google, Spotify. You can also subscribe from the podcast app on your mobile device or listen LIVE in my Private Facebook Group.