ISIS: Selling or telling?

In a report posted on the Internet on August 28, 2015, the head of National Security cautioned the media to be circumspect in their reports on the alleged Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) recruitment exercise in the country.

He pointed out that if not handled properly, reportage on the supposed activities of ISIS in Ghana might create more complications for the National Security apparatus.

As a professional in human behavioural analysis and conflict resolution, I want to draw attention to a few things that may help us appreciate the concerns of the security chief and the relevance of a guarded and prudent approach to the dissemination of information about the reported operations of ISIS in the country.

Such an approach, when adopted by the media will create tranquility and promote national cohesion. Such a method will demonstrate an understanding of the socio-economic crisis prevalent in these parts of the world.

Finally, and most importantly, the media would have demonstrated an appreciation and understanding of the vulnerable youth while empowering them with self-worth and self-actualisation.

It is an indisputable fact that a nation inevitably entrusts its future into the hands of the youth; it could be a future of gloom and doom or one of stability and happiness, it all depends on what we as adults inculcate into them through the media, schools and homes.

Socio-economic predicaments and life crisis, especially in this part of the world, and the general frustrations of individuals who live fractured lives have become a burden on the human mind. Inability or mismanagement of these intra and interpersonal conflicts have damaged family structures, caused unquantifiable destruction to national development and spread the cycle of violence in our society today. So conflict-learned children grow into conflict-learned adults and these perpetuate the prevalence of more conflicts in the society.

Positive and negative ideologies

The youth live in a society which has a multiplicity of negative and positive beliefs and ideologies. As a result, they try without success to find something to believe in, and hang their values for life on. They look for ways to channel the excessive and redundant energy they have and finding no meaningful outlet, they turn to socially undesirable activities. What do young people see as reality around them these days? A society in which the man of wealth and power is king, no matter how he makes his wealth. Godly, moral and acceptable values are frowned upon, or devalued; human rights are violated, the sacredness of life is degraded and integrity is compromised. All these are given up in the pursuit of money and materialism.

The Head of the National Security stated that the ISIS are a very rich organisation and thus provides attractive offers which potential recruits find irresistible. He also said that conversation on the matter should continue, and added, however, that it should be mainstreamed and be devoid of stereotyping.

Media exposure

In the light of his observation, are we the media making the ISIS attractive to the ordinary Ghanaian and youth by seemingly ‘glorifying’ news about them, their activities and tactics to the vulnerable and gullible in the society?

In other words, the question that comes to mind is: what is the motivation, as a nation, in highlighting this story in the way we are handling it? Is it to entice people or to curb and control the situation? If we are not sure, let us consider the following.

One of the first instincts of man is expressed in threat attacks in conflict as a method of cohesion or power-play. When we look at most conflict situations and wars, this same instinct is strategically used to create panic and awareness.

This group, ISIS, has a track record of using social media to publicise its campaign of slaughter and annihilation of its enemies. These are enhanced by their reputation for brutality, and this image is spread by its own media as a means of weakening resistance to facilitate their penetration of targeted areas.

Considering the state of our youth and their vulnerability in self-esteem, identity and craving for attention, we need to be careful how we carry these stories so as not to end up selling to the youth the very idea that we are trying to dissuade them from.

Youth

Our young ones are dealing with self-esteem issues and are sometimes likely to engage in attention-seeking behaviours to feel better about themselves. Most of the young people have emotional and social challenges with perpetual feelings of inadequacy or insecurity. They interpret social rejection as a lack of personal worth and may resort to behaviours ranging from gaining recognition in positive ways, like patriotic service, or negative ways such as indulging in social vices to gain sympathy and attention.

A significant need for attention also exists in some of them who may have histrionic personality traits or disorder. The group of youth with this disorder will employ all means, available and possible, to get attention by becoming the centre of national discussions, to be captured on the front pages of our daily papers, etc. A noted characteristic also of this category, of young ones, from an analytical perspective is that they often ignore social norms in their persistent search for attention. They feel uncomfortable if they do not get the attention they crave. And when they achieve visibility by drawing attention to themselves they are likely to implore exaggerated attitudes, heightened emotions, and provocative actions, sometimes, they do so even changing their physical appearance.

Advice

We do not want to contribute to feeding these cravings of our young ones by ‘selling’ the ISIS to them. If we succeed in ‘extolling’ or ‘elevating’ the ISIS to the youth, we would be supplying ‘easy’ ammunition to the perpetrators of these hazardous acts and activities against humanity.