Young S'poreans' openness to extremist views posted online can counter extremism, strengthen religious harmony
The openness of young Singaporeans to extremist views being posted online may help to counter extremism and shore up religious harmony, a reader says.
As a young Singaporean, I was heartened that many fellow youth believe in freedom of speech and expression when it comes to extremist views on race and religion (“The Big Read: Open to extremist views, youth want diverse voices and honest talk — but at what cost?”; May 4).
They also have faith in the ability of youth to have open conversations about such views.
Experts interviewed in the TODAY report believe that the openness of young adults to religious extremist views being expressed online is “cause for concern”, as this could lead to undesirable consequences and may even have an impact on national security.
While I agree that the unchecked proliferation of extremist views may perniciously shape the socio-political attitudes of young Singaporeans, the openness of youth towards such views being expressed is a productive way to counter extremism in society.
Some youth have said that being open to extremist views published online does not mean that they endorse them.
Rather, allowing these views to be expressed will present more opportunities to understand why people may be susceptible to them.
During an exchange programme in the Netherlands, I took a course on journalism studies in war and terrorism. There, I was part of a group that analysed Dabiq, the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria’s (Isis) online publication.
Through the analysis, we developed a better understanding of how Isis’ hateful views of other religions and their ideas of Islam were based on fundamental misreadings and selective interpretations. This allowed us to form more coherent rebuttals towards such hateful and violent rhetoric.
I also understood better how religious extremist views could proliferate and how we might counter them as a society — something I may not have achieved if those views were censored.
While one expert was right to note the negative consequences of non-violent extremism, I am not quite sure that there is a worrying “gap in perception” between younger and older Singaporeans of what this means.
Growing up in different historical circumstances and in an age of social media, younger Singaporeans will have an equally valid conception of non-violent extremism and how to deal with its dangers.
Younger Singaporeans, who are the most avid users of social media, must take a stand against extremist views that threaten religious harmony in the country.
The interfaith dialogues organised by religious groups should foster open and honest discussions about such views. They will go a long way towards rebutting them, thereby strengthening religious understanding among Singaporeans.
Digital-literacy initiatives can also be rolled out to encourage Singaporeans to fact-check such opinions if they come across them online.
Rather than over-policing religious extremists, we should allow opportunities for Singaporeans to understand why extremist views are flawed and develop critical-thinking skills.
Only then can we be more discerning towards extremist views and build a society based on religious harmony.
