An 18-year old Australian teen reportedly carried out a suicide bombing for ISIS and it’s another example of the way ISIS is using social media to recruit lost Western Youth by selling them purpose, meaning, and a chance to become a hero.
Remember, Rick Warren’s “The purpose driven life”, which sold 30 million copies worldwide? It gave people a positive purpose says Australian Human Behavior Expert, Patrick Wanis PhD. Australian Jake Bilardi is another example of a troubled teen who sought meaning and purpose after his mother died of Cancer 2 years ago and ISIS helped transform him from an Atheist into a Muslim terrorist.
Jake Bilardi was not poor and he was not uneducated; he was affluent and a gifted student. However, ISIS’ social media propaganda tapped into his vulnerabilities and confusion. Bilardi didn’t need a job – what he needed was meaning and purpose to his life – he found a perverted meaning.
ISIS’ propaganda videos display solidarity, strength, power; the videos seem to offer something more than just a religion – they offer a supernatural intention and objective – to serve God via sacrifice; the videos promote extreme honor in death, unparalleled brotherhood and unity and even try to offer the remedy to individual depression by fighting for a cause, living with honor and becoming a hero.
Read more: https://patrickwanis.com/blog/7-reasons-western-youths-joining-isis/
Patrick Wanis, PhD, is a renowned relationship and behavioral expert with over 25 years of experience. Creator of SRTT Therapy (Subconscious Rapid Transformation Technique), he specializes in resolving root causes of trauma and other conditions without reliving pain or retraumatization. He has developed various psychological assessments on emotional intelligence, relationships, self-sabotage, and authenticity, and serves diverse clients from celebrities to teens. A trusted media source, Global media including CNN, BBC, FOX News turn to Wanis for insights into relationships, sexuality, human motivation, trauma, communication, body language, and persuasion.