Terrorism as a "Kick Me" Game

In Transactional Analysis we note a pattern of interpersonal behavior which is (unfortunately) quite common, called the "Kick Me" game. In TA a game is defined as a limited and predictable series of moves with a reaction and payoff. Without going into technical details and analysis, imagine the following sequence of events: Person A makes irritating comments, sarcastic remarks and mildly hurtful statements over a period of time to Person B. The goal of this irritation is to provoke a response from Person B that is "out of proportion" to the most recent irritation from A. When B reacts strongly, A is able to cast B in the role of villain. A has been "kicked". This is the goal of the game. A is now (comparatively) the good guy, and B is the bad. People do this all the time, in many circumstances, from playground to boardroom, in their attempts to get someone else "in trouble".

It's easy to see that terrorist attacks all over the world are operating by the rules of the "Kick Me" Game. They threaten, frighten, provoke, cause small-scale tragedies and deaths. They hope for a large, dramatic response from those they attack, thus enabling the terrorists to characterize those who respond as villains. These terrorists then become the Victims, through their own actions. As a tactic, when it works, it unifies both sides and simplifies the conflict. "Sides" are taken, people are polarized into opposing groups. Small splinter groups of terrorists benefit by such unification, validating their position and even raising funds for future attacks.

In reality, there is little the terrorist groups can do that is actively so harmful or dangerous that an entire nation is endangered. Their attacks are painful and people die, which is not a minor issue, but there is no chance that their attacks can cause the fall of a nation. By not responding, we minimize their effectiveness, even while mourning the dead. It has always been possible for people to hurt other people, and rarely is there any way of stopping it; war has not been particularly successful in reducing pain and conflict.