Literally, extremism means being situated at the farthest possible point from the center. Figuratively, it indicates a similar remoteness in religion and thought, as well as behavior. Extremism is a term used to describe the actions or ideologies of individuals or groups outside the perceived political center of a society. Extremists violate “common moral standards” and, in democratic societies, branded extremists are individuals or groups who advocate that democracy should be replaced with some kind of an authoritarian regime.
In a simpler sense, extremism can be seen in a person’s unwillingness to discuss and take into consideration other people’s views. More often than not, extremists tend to have higher levels of emotion, usually leaning towards anger and discontent. Also, extremists tend to isolate themselves from society and work almost secretly in almost all their dealings. It is important to note that all of these characteristics do not automatically equate to an extremist being a dangerous person. We can only say that an extremist is threatening when his ideology calls for the use of violence.
