Ideation

"I have to do something!" This appears to be the feeling that generally leads to the next step on the pathway to violence, ideation. While most people are able to shake off their grievances or frustrations fairly easily, a few individuals are unable to do so. An idea takes hold in their mind, and they find it increasingly difficult to let it go.

 

Factors

Why is it that some people proceed from ideas to action and others don’t? The causal factors are nearly always psychosocial. They include:

- Psychopathology (mental illnesses and disorders), and care avoidance;

- Social circumstances (loneliness, participation in extremist groups, recruitment);

- Trigger events (divorce of parents, death of a parent, unemployment).

Breivik described the ideas he used to justify his acts in a 1,500-page manifesto. These ideas are described in this fragment:


The entire manifesto of Anders Breivik can be read using this link. On page 15 of this manifesto, Breivik briefly describes the background of his ideas and his desire to spread these ideas further.