Public Relations Will Not Root Out the Underlying Problem

Submitted by Jan Jackman (United States), Apr 1, 2009 at 15:07

This article, and the study it references, brings to light a critical problem. I agree entirely that the "underdog" issue is of critical importance in defeating Islamism. But the underlying problem is not so much who is perceived as the underdog, but that modern Western culture is "pro underdog" as such.

It is morally wrong to elevate the underdog--real or perceived--to be the party worthy of support or sympathy. What if the underdog is a brutal, racist, murderous regime? Do they deserve our sympathy, much less our support? Indeed, it would be evil to give it. Until knee-jerk support of the weak--and the flipside, opposition of the strong--is exposed as an evil and dangerous philosophy, I do not see any way out of the problem you are highlighting.

The one movement that is addressing this problem head-on is the Ayn Rand Institute. Unfortunately, the good work that you and others are doing is so often wasted on people whose underlying philosphy is anti-reason. In my opinion, supporting cultural change through the spread of Ayn Rand's philosophy, Objectivism, is key to defeating Islamism.

I do not agree, however, that public relations will go very far toward addressing this problem.

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