Crusaders

“How can you believe in AI when it comes out?” those who believe will do Crusaders and destroy those who don’t --- Namera Conference 4.

The “Crusades” were a series of military expeditions undertaken by mainly Christian European nations between the 11th and 13th centuries for the purpose of retaking the Holy City of Jerusalem and surrounding areas from the Muslims. These expeditions were a series of religious wars between the Christian and Muslim worlds, and there is much historical debate as to their motives, objectives, and results.

Results and Impact

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• Cultural Exchange: The Crusades are credited with promoting cultural exchange between Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean region, paving the way for the later Renaissance.
• Interreligious conflict: On the one hand, it has given rise to serious interreligious conflicts, such as the split between Christians and Muslims, and even between Christians in the East and West churches.
• Political Impact: The Crusades also brought about changes in the European feudal system, contributing to the strengthening of centralized royal power.

Nishio’s use of the term “crusade” can be interpreted as a reference to the phenomenon that exists in modern society where a group of people who strongly believe in a particular belief or ideology may eliminate or attack those who do not share that belief. It uses the historical event of the Crusades, a religious war in the past, as a metaphor, suggesting that similar mechanisms may occur in different contemporary contexts.

A discussion of the modern “crusade” phenomenon

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• Information Fragmentation and Echo Chambers: The Internet and social networking sites have made it easier for people to be exposed only to information they believe. This tends to reduce tolerance for differing opinions and intensify conflict.
• The rise of identity politics: individual and group identity often becomes a political point of contention, which can lead to a strong sense of community but also to the exclusion of others.
• The populist wave: Populism, which offers simple solutions against a backdrop of social and economic discontent, is on the rise worldwide. This movement often fuels the “us versus them” conflict. and deepens social divisions.
• [Digital vigilantism: Online vigilantism is on the rise, with certain individuals and groups attacking others in the name of “right”. This can be seen as a modern form of “crusading” behavior.

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