Changes

George and Wilcox look at extremists as persons psychologically prone to extremism, regardless of political affiliation: Both of us have had the feeling many times that the Bircher with whom we were talking could just as easily have been a Communist and vice versa.  It may be merely a question of who “gets to them” first. We tend to view the existence of an extremism-prone personality as a more reasonable hypothesis than attempts to account for the “pathology” of a particular point of view. George and Wilcox list twenty-two common traits of extremists. While

George and Wilcox look at extremists as persons psychologically prone to extremism, regardless of political affiliation: Both of us have had the feeling many times that the Bircher with whom we were talking could just as easily have been a Communist and vice versa.  It may be merely a question of who “gets to them” first. We tend to view the existence of an extremism-prone personality as a more reasonable hypothesis than attempts to account for the “pathology” of a particular point of view. George and Wilcox list twenty-two common traits of extremists. While

all people exhibit some of these traits at times, the important distinction is that “[with bona fide extremists, these lapses are not occasional.” The traits are:  

all people exhibit some of these traits at times, the important distinction is that “with bona fide extremists, these lapses are not occasional.” The traits are:  

*(1) character assassination;

*(1) character assassination;