Terrorism Anxiety Is Fueling Global Waves of Nationalism

A verified prediction from social psychology experts is narrowed into a simple theory that as long as there are these  terrorism threats, disunity in the world will even intensify and the people are more scared if not paranoid. 

Deadly terrorist attacks worldwide are causing a mass psychological condition that brings out the nationalism self-defense in the world. United Kingdom's concluded Brexit and Donald Trump's victory in the United States are the results of TMT, first disclosed in the 1980s based on Ernest Becker's Pulitzer Prize-winning work of philosophy and psychology, as echoed by QZ.

The belief in the afterlife in many religions that gives birth to immortality is also echoed in the political and national arenas that aim to create a symbolic forever living. The cultural nature to battle the massive fear certainly leads to terrorism anxiety like a mass hysteria.

Based on the principles of hypothesis, if people resort to TMTor Terror Management Theory to be able to continue living, the more we should be reminded through our faith and communities that we are indeed mortals. An experiment among Iranian and US college groups of students shows very disturbing results.

Iranian students who are aware of the consequences of death were supportive of the so-called martyrdom on terrorism attacks against the US, while students in the controlled were against them. On the same way, US students who are reminded of death are supportive of extreme military attacks as counter-terrorism strategies that can also many innocent civilians.

The result of the study clearly shows how the world can be divided just by reminding people that they can die. Nations under terrorism threats can become very hostile towards those who have different cultures. Mortality indeed can amplify nationalism and intensify bias movements against groups with different opinions. It is evident that death reminders can be effectively used to lure voters during elections, according to Psychology Today.