What is Extremism? Discuss (several minutes) 

Let us consider the following contentions:

(Participant cards)

• Extremism has an evil effect on us. 

• When confronted with something that we think is not within the realm of our own cultural norms or values - or an opinion that we deem extreme - how do we react?  Do we instinctively fly into fight or flight mode?

• When dealing with someone who we deem extreme, don’t we put our guard up and try to extinguish the threat we perceive?

Recommended readings and suggested activities:

• Radical expressions of victimhood by individuals demanding social justice in the name of their own rights and privileges.  Case study: transgender boy swims in girls race ;consider the blow back this had in terms of the landslide victory by the far right of the conservative political movement - 2025 

• Consider: do the extreme positions on both sides of race cause us to remain divided by issues of race?

 If both sides were to move to the middle, would this cause us to come together? 

Quotations to discuss:

• “A society with­out liberals would be harsh and oppressive to many individuals. A society without conservatives would lose many of the social structures and con­straints that are so valuable.” (242) 

•  “Liberals and conservatives are like yin and yang – both are ‘necessary elements of a healthy state of political life,’” (538) 

•  “If there is any one secret of success it lies in the ability to get the other person’s point of view and see things from their angle as well as your own. If you do truly see it the other person’s way – deeply and intuitively – you might even find your own mind opening” Henry Ford  (99)

• “Extremism disturbs the natural order of things” / extremism defies our true nature”

• “Extremism begets Extremism”

Resources: 

• Letters To Mikey, much of the book explains extreme differences between ideologies and how people view the world from different lenses, often extremely different and coaches kids on how to bridge these divides by choosing moderation, and applying reason to emotions.  LTM Chapter Nine; The Play by Play extreme differences in conservatives v. liberal mindsets. Discuss the differences between “Bob and Sally”. See Chapter 8, chart on page 129.

• Read Letters To Mikey on Moderation, Chapter 4, Page 62 

Consider - all philosophies/faiths point towards moderation as our naturally intended path:

• Chinese culture, yin and yang 

• The Middle Way (Buddhism)

• Aristotle's Golden Mean

• Confucian Doctrine of the Mean

• Daoism and Natural Balance

• Stoicism

 Note to Facilitators: If you independently research the phenomenon of “extremism”, and look at examples of extreme positions, do so from both sides of the political divide - This will help people understand the problem extreme positions are having on American culture. Use our culture as proof that we are violating very basic principles of our nature, to remain balanced in all things.