Originally Posted by alansmithee

I recently read a book that talked about this very phenomena. It was about game theory and strategic thinking. What they said ends up happening is that people often are forced to misrepresent their beliefs (by being more extreme) to get movement to their side. Because the closer to center you are, the less your position will cause change. So people will take the most extreme position possible without going "over the edge" and being considered a crackpot. Even if you would be happier at a more central point on the idological spectrum, you will go farther than that to counteract such behavior from the other side.

I remember coming to the same conclusion myself before, but not putting it in the same way. I've always said the biggest problem with the Civil rights movement was that instead trying to convince people that blacks were equal, it was necessary to take a position of black superiority. Then there is room for movement to/compromise at black equality. As it stands, by taking a central position of black equality, the extremes at the other end (white supremacists) are able to move the position to blacks being seen as slightly less than whites.

And I've taken extreme positions often in an attempt to be heard, but I also tend many times to favor extreme positions as being necessary for true change.