Do something crazy...

(reposted)
I like extremists.

For most of this decade that word has been thrown around a lot. Usually negatively. And you know what? Extremism can be a very negative thing. Extremists are people who take a point of view that’s usually so one-sided that it distorts reason. They push limits.

Blowing up ancient Buddhist statues in Afghanistan because you’re Muslim is pretty extreme.

Tying a man up in chains and dragging him behind your Rebel Yell pickup truck until he’s in pieces because he’s black is extreme.

Staring down a row of tanks, armed with nothing more than a briefcase in order to make a point is extreme.

Stalin was extreme.

So why do I like people like this? Because without them, we would all be ignorant, placid and have no idea what is important to us. It takes extreme people to reinforce our personal values, and hopefully, we act on those emotions in positive ways.

Bill O’Reilly is an extremist. He’s a pompous jackass who thinks his opinion is the only valid point of view anyone can have. I hate him and most of what he says. But I love to watch him, and I think it’s a good thing he’s on TV and very appropriate that he’s on Fox.

David Suzuki is an extremist. He berates any media that questions him directly and won’t stop until he scares the world into his vision of a reasonable utopia. I love him and agree with most of what he says. But that doesn’t mean he’s always right or reasonable.

For good or bad, extremists show the rest of the world what we COULD be. They provoke us into thinking for ourselves about what we feel is right and wrong. They make us ask ourselves tough and meaningful questions.

Should I donate money to starving kids in Africa even though I know they’re being forced into Christianity?

Is it really worth it to get rid of my old lightbulbs for new, energy saving ones?

Do I really care about a single word Bono says anymore?

Usually we all meet in the middle. I’d be a fool to think that the majority of Muslims believe Al Qaeda is doing good things for their culture. But Al Qaeda sure does have some vocal supporters in the Muslim community.

I feel that it’s very important for us to change our environmental track record. But give the Earth some credit; she’s a survivor.

Without extremists, we would have no great struggles and no great ideas. As crazy as they can get, we need them to provoke us into doing good, or into realizing we’ve been wrong the entire time.

I like extremists. They make me hate myself enough to change what I am.