Broken Systems, Weaponized Beliefs: A Study in Radicalization Across Cultures

Introduction: The Anatomy of Extremism

Radicalization is not spontaneous. It is the result of cumulative exposure to psychological distress, cognitive fragmentation, and unresolved sociopolitical trauma. Whether manifesting in post-conflict regions like the Middle East or within hyper-polarized movements in the United States, ideological extremism emerges in response to a breakdown of coherence—internally and collectively.

This article examines the psychological mechanisms, sociocultural dynamics, and energetic correlates of radicalization across different global contexts. Drawing from trauma studies, attachment theory, identity psychology, and collective field theory, we outline the factors that predispose individuals to radical ideologies—and present a parallel framework for re-integration and systemic healing.

Psychological Conditions for Radicalization

Radicalization serves as a maladaptive solution to unmet psychological needs. It provides structure in the absence of safety, belonging in the absence of connection, and certainty in the absence of integration.

✧ Attachment & Belonging

Individuals with histories of insecure attachment—particularly disorganized or avoidant patterns—may be predisposed to seek ideological communities that offer rigid boundaries, identity cohesion, and perceived safety. Extremist groups often provide surrogate “families” that substitute for early relational ruptures.

✧ Terror Management & Mortality Salience

Terror management theory posits that heightened awareness of mortality increases adherence to cultural worldviews. Extremist ideologies capitalize on existential fear, often linking group loyalty with divine reward or apocalyptic salvation, especially in conditions of instability or loss.

✧ Group Polarization & Identity Fusion

Social identity theory explains how individuals absorb the values of their in-group to preserve social standing and psychological continuity. When group belonging fuses with self-identity, dissent becomes psychologically threatening. This often leads to increasing rigidity, dehumanization of the out-group, and moral absolutism.

✧ Trauma & Dissociation

Unresolved trauma—whether individual, ancestral, or systemic—leads to emotional dysregulation and fragmentation of the self. In trauma states, individuals become more susceptible to black-and-white thinking, charismatic leadership, and reductionist ideologies. The impulse is not ideological—it is compensatory.

Vignettes: Psychological Profiles Across Contexts

Sami, 22, joined a militant group in Syria following the loss of his family during civil war. Initially driven by survival, he was gradually socialized into a worldview that reframed his grief as sacred struggle.

Lena, 38, became involved in QAnon networks during the COVID-19 pandemic. Feeling isolated, economically pressured, and distrustful of public institutions, she found community and purpose in online conspiracy forums.

Marcus, 25, disillusioned by what he perceived as performative activism, gravitated toward radical anti-state ideologies. His descent was marked not by hatred but by a collapse of hope and a longing for structural meaning.

These cases differ in geography and ideology, but converge in psychological structure: each involves unresolved distress, unmet needs, and a vulnerable search for identity coherence.

The Middle East: Post-Colonial Fragmentation and Ideological Substitution

In many parts of the Middle East, radicalization cannot be disentangled from the historical residue of colonial partition, regime instability, and foreign intervention. The dismantling of indigenous governance systems and persistent authoritarianism has contributed to intergenerational trauma and political distrust.

Extremist groups such as Al-Qaeda and ISIS have leveraged these conditions by providing simplified moral frameworks and surrogate identities. Their appeal lies not only in religious rhetoric but in the emotional and existential validation they offer: You are chosen. You are seen. You have a mission.

This form of radicalization emerges not from religion itself but from the psychosocial vacuum left behind by systemic collapse.

The United States: Institutional Erosion and Cognitive Fragmentation

Radicalization in the United States reflects a different, yet parallel, rupture. The erosion of trust in government, healthcare, education, and media has resulted in widespread cognitive dissonance and political polarization. Movements on both the far right and radical left have arisen in response to perceived systemic betrayal.

For the far-right, particularly the MAGA movement, radicalization is often rooted in a narrative of loss: the belief that a once-great nation has been hijacked or corrupted. For the far-left, the radical impulse often centers on the belief that the system itself is irredeemable. Both narratives derive their power from moral absolutism and identity-based grievance.

Social media amplifies these dynamics, serving as a behavioral conditioning system that reinforces outrage, tribalism, and emotional reactivity. Algorithmic design rewards extremity over nuance.

The Five R’s of Radicalization: A Descent into Disconnection

Radicalization often follows a staged process, marked by psychological regression, relational disintegration, and cognitive closure. The following five stages represent common inflection points observed across diverse cultural and ideological contexts.

1. Resentment

Psychological injury, injustice, or chronic disempowerment gives rise to persistent anger. This emotion becomes a cognitive lens, shaping how the individual perceives authority, identity, and belonging.

2. Rejection

Resentment progresses into rejection—of societal norms, dominant ideologies, and perceived perpetrators. This phase often involves an increasing sense of alienation and epistemic distrust.

3. Recruitment

In the void created by rejection, radical ideologies offer coherence and connection. Recruitment may be informal or algorithmic, but it provides the individual with identity clarity and moral purpose.

4. Reinforcement

Group belonging reinforces belief structures through social validation and echo chamber dynamics. Dissenting views are systematically excluded or pathologized, increasing ideological rigidity.

5. Repression

To maintain belonging, the individual represses cognitive dissonance and emotional ambivalence. Internal critique is perceived as betrayal. Identity becomes fused with the ideology.

Linguistic Entrainment and the Collapse of Complexity

Extremist movements often manipulate language to suppress ambiguity and enforce binary moral frameworks. This process, termed linguistic entrainment, facilitates identity fusion and impedes reflective thought.

• Euphemisms: “Collateral damage,” “spiritual warfare,” “sovereign citizen”
  
  
• Memetics: Simplified slogans that bypass critical analysis and stimulate reactive emotion
  
  
• Binary Framing: “Good vs. evil,” “us vs. them,” “patriot vs. traitor”
  
  

Over time, this cognitive compression replaces dialectical reasoning with emotional absolutism, reducing the individual’s capacity for nuance or uncertainty.

Collective Energetics and Morphogenic Influence

Radicalization also reflects a breakdown at the collective level. Theories such as morphic resonance (Sheldrake) and biofield science (HeartMath Institute) suggest that energetic fields shape and reinforce behavioral and emotional patterns across groups.

In this view, ideological extremism is not only psychological but vibrational—an emergent property of collective trauma and dysregulation. Just as coherence can be cultivated at the individual level through nervous system regulation and relational repair, so too can it ripple outward through collective fields.

The Five R’s of Re-Synergizing: A Framework for Psychological and Social Reintegration

Where radicalization reflects a breakdown in identity coherence and relational trust, re-synergizing is the integrative process by which individuals restore internal regulation, social connection, and cognitive flexibility. This five-stage model provides a conceptual framework for understanding how individuals and communities might shift from ideological rigidity to renewed psychological health and collective participation.

1. Recognize

This stage involves cognitive insight and reflective awareness. Individuals begin to observe the belief systems, thought patterns, and emotional triggers that may have been previously automatic or unconscious. Recognition often includes confronting internalized narratives that were adopted in survival contexts—whether ideological, familial, or cultural. It creates the foundation for change by reintroducing the capacity for metacognition.

2. Reshape

Following recognition, individuals can begin to disrupt habitual responses and reshape behavioral patterns. This involves intentional regulation of the nervous system, the development of alternative coping mechanisms, and conscious engagement with new environments or stimuli. In clinical terms, this is where neuroplasticity becomes actionable: the brain and body begin to form new associative pathways.

3. Reconnect

Reconnection addresses the interpersonal and somatic dimensions of reintegration. It often requires rebuilding trust in the body, in others, and in community systems. Emotionally, this stage supports the reestablishment of secure attachment and social engagement. Therapeutically, it is akin to re-entering the “window of tolerance,” where affect and cognition can be processed in a regulated state.

4. Reframe

Here, the individual begins to reinterpret past experiences through a broader and more integrated lens. Reframing does not negate trauma or ideological immersion, but contextualizes them within a larger developmental or systemic framework. It allows for the reconstruction of meaning, moving from narrative fusion to narrative flexibility. Clinically, this supports post-traumatic growth and the reintegration of identity.

5. Renew

The renewal phase signals a return to values-based living and relational autonomy. It is characterized by an internalized sense of agency, a stabilized self-concept, and increased tolerance for complexity and ambiguity. Renewal marks the point at which individuals can participate in collective life without reliance on dogma or enemy narratives. Psychologically, it reflects emotional regulation, cognitive openness, and sustained coherence.

Final Reflection: An Invitation to Inquiry

Radicalization is not limited to distant regions or fringe ideologies—it is a mirror reflecting the unresolved fractures in human systems and psyches. Understanding its mechanics is the first step toward individual and collective repair.

Reflective Questions for Integration
– What beliefs have I inherited without examination?
– Where do I prioritize certainty over curiosity?
– How does my nervous system respond to ambiguity or disagreement?
– What would safety look like if it didn’t require an enemy?

Radicalization feeds on disconnection. Renewal begins with conscious reconnection.

📚 Curated Resource List

Psychology & Radicalization

• Horgan, John. The Psychology of Terrorism
  
  
• Kruglanski, Arie. “The Psychology of Radicalization”
  
  
• McCauley & Moskalenko. Friction
  
  
• Moghaddam, Fathali. The Staircase to Terrorism
  
  
• Haidt, Jonathan. The Righteous Mind
  
  

U.S. Conspiracy Culture

• Marantz, Andrew. Antisocial
  
  
• Nagle, Angela. Kill All Normies
  
  
• CSIS Reports on Domestic Extremism
  
  
• Hofstadter, Richard. “The Paranoid Style in American Politics”
  
  

Language & Manipulation

• Zuboff, Shoshana. The Age of Surveillance Capitalism
  
  
• Bartlett, Jamie. The Dark Net
  
  
• Lakoff, George. Don’t Think of an Elephant!
  
  

Energetic & Field-Based Perspectives

• Hawkins, David R. Power vs. Force
  
  
• Sheldrake, Rupert. Morphic Resonance
  
  
• Eisenstein, Charles. The More Beautiful World
  
  
• Maté, Gabor. The Myth of Normal
  
  
• HeartMath Institute
  

Author: Robbyn Raquel Wallace

https://www.linkedin.com/in/robbynraquel/ 

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https://conscioussynergy.blogspot.com/ 

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https://conscioussynergymovement.substack.com/ 

https://seekandexpand.substack.com/

Energy Activism: A Personal Practice for a Planet in Transition

“Synergy in Action Series” 

Introduction

The Conscious Synergy Movement has long held space for what we call conscious activism—a way of showing up for the world with presence, intention, and deep inner alignment. It is activism that flows from within, rooted not only in what we do but in how and why we do it.

This guest post from Belle Paniagua-Novak brings a beautiful and timely lens to that work: Energy Activism™.

Where conscious activism asks us to awaken, observe, and engage with integrity, energy activism invites us to look even more intimately at our energetic contribution. It reminds us that coherence, compassion, nervous system regulation, and spiritual alignment are not luxuries in activism—they are essential.

Belle’s words carry both lived wisdom and embodied clarity. In this piece, she shares what energy activism means, how it looks in practice, and why it matters—now more than ever. Her message is a breath of truth in a chaotic time, and a powerful mirror for those of us who believe that real change begins in the unseen spaces of the self.

May her words remind us that how we tend our own energy is how we tend the field we all share.

Conscious Synergy Movement

Spiritual infrastructure is how we build a more coherent world—one aligned thought, breath, and intention at a time.

#EnergyActivism #ConsciousSynergyMovement

By: Belle Paniagua-Novak 

What is “Energy Activism?”

Energy Activism™ can be summed up in a single Rumi quote, “Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself.”

To be an energy activist is to know that we live in a collective energetic field and that the harmony or coherence of that field is reflected to us through our collective experience and that the collective experience is a reflection of our individual experience. This means that if we want the collective experience to change we need the field to shift. Excitingly, as conscious, self-aware, Earthly beings, we have the ability—and, even responsibility as Ervin Laszlo and other experts would say—to shift the field through the way that live, which includes the thoughts we think, the way we feel, the things we do,  the things we do often and the relationships we keep.

Energy activism is about knowing that all of those things, as individual as some of them may seem, do matter. The choices we make and the way we treat each other determines the quality and harmony of the collective field.

So, if you can imagine a different world, the way that we actually get there is through ourselves. As more people start taking steps towards coherence, harmony, alignment, health, healing, love, compassion, care, forgiveness, acceptance, environmental awareness, etc. - in their own way - the field will continue to shift.

Energy Activists are actively, consciously, and devotionally working to shift our own energies to ultimately support the Upshifting of humanity. We stay the course amidst the chaos, adversity, and doubt from even the people we love the most.

People have told me that increasing one’s coherence is not activism because activism requires labor, sacrifice, and action. I would respectfully disagree because living coherently requires a great deal of all of those things, albeit a slightly different flavor.

Here are just some of the ways I have or have been engaging in energy activism, or living more coherently over the years.

EARTH

One of the greatest joys of my life has been reconnecting with nature, as a part of nature. I’ve learned that as nature, I too have natural rhythms, patterns, and cycles that guide and reflect my life. Leaning into those rhythms and cycles has helped to free me from the rat race of overconsumption and hyper-productivity.

Also as nature, I know the importance of a direct connection with the Earth for reducing inflammation, nervous system regulation, and countless other physical, mental, and emotional benefits. Therefore, as a supplement—not a solution, I use Earthing™ mats and an Earthing™ pillow for several hours every day. [I have a mat at my desk, near the couch, and where I meditate.] I also am prioritizing more outdoor time and travels.

I am conscious of how my lifestyle impacts the planet and am actively adjusting accordingly. I’m not perfect by any means but for one, I’m not sure “perfection” is the point right now, and for two, slow and steady wins the race—AKA is sustainable and maintainable.

[As a side note, I live steeped in the paradox of divine timing as well as feel the urgency of change, however, with urgency tends to come fear, guilt, and shame and I personally don’t believe those are the paths of real change for the majority of people.]

I am aware of the native land on which I live—Tongva, Tataviam, Serrano, Kizh, and Chumash—as well as the lasting impacts of colonization on all sides, and I encourage others to do the same. A quick search for your county or city’s land acknowledgement will get you started.

To put it simply - I love, respect and honor Gaia, our Mother Earth and the cultures who have been and continue to be her guardians and stewards, and as a result, I treat her as such.

The health of the planet is a reflection of how healthy we are. So, as soon as we care differently for the Earth, we care differently for ourselves, and ultimately that is how we affect lasting change.

MIND

Strengthening my sense of self-awareness and my ability to self-distance—a Logo-therapy term from Viktor Frankl, which means being able to watch myself - my thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, is what enabled me to go deeper into myself than I had ever gone before. Self-exploration and self-inquiry increase coherence by making us aware of places within us that need attention.

I meditate daily and practice mindfulness as often as I can. I question the thoughts inside my head and I talk to myself as a friend, with patience, grace, and compassion. There is an excellent book called, “The Hidden Messages in Water” by Masaru Emoto that I highly recommend to help understand the impact of our thoughts on coherence.

The truth is that coherence, or harmony within one’s self, only happens in the present so therefore training the mind to be in the now—and not yesterday, last year or tomorrow—is a fundamental part of that process. It’s also one of the things I had to teach myself in adulthood and seems to be a lifelong journey.

BODY

I trust the feelings in my body and I use them to guide my day to day. I heavily rely on them as emotions—which is the human word we have created for a pattern of feelings in the body—as they help me to navigate my relationships, personal projects, and so much more.

In order to get to and maintain that place of trust with my body’s natural guidance system, I had to heal my mind-body from IBS, acid reflux, depression, and anxiety, in addition to all my past painful memories. This freed up and “boosted” my energetic resources for navigation. This is definitely NOT to say that our mind-body needs to be in any sort of perfectly healthy condition in order to connect with our body’s intelligence, this is just my personal experience of what has helped.

Part of the process of re-engaging with my body’s signals required that I spend dedicated time towards strengthening my sense of interoception, which is the biological sense that connects with our mind to let us know what we are feeling in the body. Along with emotions, it’s the sense that you use when you connect feelings in your lower abdomen with needing to go to the bathroom, for example. Interoception exists on a spectrum and for most neurotypical folks, they have a level of interoception that equips them just fine for survival, but I believe that in order for humanity to evolve and for one to increase their coherence, our sense of interoception needs to be strengthened, especially because it is the mechanism by which we feel the guidance that I have been speaking of.

Essentially, the body is the medium through which life happens, so therefore taking extra care of it is a priority for me. When I am more energetically resourced, ultimately I can do more of what is in my heart and soul, and the more of us that are doing that, the more coherent things will be because living coherently is ultimately how we serve the world, hence why I consider this healing work to be energy activism.

SPIRIT

I’ve already mentioned that reconnecting as a part of nature brought me some of the greatest joy I’ve ever experienced, well reconnecting with myself as an energetic being with energetic anatomy and therefore energetic functions brought me some of the greatest expansion. When I learned more about what it means for me to be a soul with a mind and a body, all the limitations placed on me by my culture and my family seemed to disappear. I was no longer bound by the stories I’d been fed and instead found myself in a world of essentially limitless possibilities.

Along that journey I learned about the so-called, “science of spirituality,” which I have learned to mean “the science of oneness.” Through even just a basic understanding of quantum physics, I can tell you it’s been proven that we are all made of the same stuff, nothing is separate, and that one person does matter.

Even more incredible is that what science has now proven is actually what our ancestors have been telling us since the beginning. There are cultures and lineages still alive and well on this planet today that have been here for thousands of years. In that time, they’ve uncovered a thing or two about what it means to be incarnated on Earth, in a body with a mind, and spending time with their teachings over the course of just a few years taught me more about being a person than the 18 years of schooling I experienced.

It’s not just abou having this information - it’s one thing to know it, but the energy activism part comes in from actually living it. It means living from these universal, scientific, and ancestral ideas of love, gratitude, reciprocity, compassion, grace, forgiveness, patience, acceptance, and respect—to name a few.

It’s easy to be excited about all of this and to share it, but it’s an entirely different thing to actually live it - which for me in times like these means transmuting rage, hate, and anger into love, compassion, and patience by via peaceful advocacy and other means of supporting the people, places, things, and ideas we cherish most.

Why Now?

Because we’ve reached a turning point.

Many of the systems we’ve depended on - economically, politically, ecologically - are showing us that they can no longer sustain life in a meaningful way. We’ve drifted out of rhythm with the Earth, with each other, and with ourselves. And yet, as many Indigenous prophecies have reminded us, this moment is not just about collapse. It’s about possibility. A door is open right now for us to co-create a more coherent, compassionate world.

Not to be alarmist, but we won’t get this window again.

That doesn’t mean we have to get it all right. It doesn’t mean we have to fix everything at once. This isn’t about being perfect. It’s about being willing. It’s about participating however we can with whatever energy we do have.

Because even small acts of coherence matter. A single moment of presence. A breath taken in awareness. A feeling truly felt. These things ripple. They make it easier for others to do the same. They strengthen the field we all share.

And that matters - especially now.

People want to contribute. They want to care. But they’re overwhelmed, stretched thin, unsure where to begin. What I’ve seen over and over again - especially in my years working in veterinary medicine and animal welfare - is that people might struggle to take care of themselves, but chances are that they’ll show up more wholeheartedly for the ones they love. Their pets. Their children. Even their communities.

That’s part of what energy activism teaches us: your coherence isn’t just for you. It supports the people around you. It feeds the field they live in. It makes a difference.

This is why I do this work.

As an energy activist, my motivation is first and foremost personal, but my devotion is to the Earth and all my earthly relations.

This is Energy Activism. Ultimately, it’s a way of living and a way of being the change we wish to see in the world.

AI Disclaimer

The writing ideas, drafts, and reflections shared here are human-written and shaped by lived experience. At times, light AI assistance was used to support editing or clarity always under human direction and creative discernment.

I acknowledge the ethical complexities surrounding AI use, including concerns around authorship, bias, labor, and intellectual integrity. I also recognize the ecological impact of AI technologies, including the energy consumption required to power large-scale models.

My intention is to engage with these tools mindfully using them to enhance, not replace, human creativity and connection, while staying in conversation about the broader implications of their use.

🌿 Connect with the Author

Belle Paniagua-Novak is the creator behind Mystically Belle, a soulful voice in the realm of energy activism, consciousness, and inner harmony.

Explore more of her work and connect with her here:

👉 msha.ke/mysticallybelle