--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When Muslim radicals and fundamentalists…" description: "\"“When Muslim radicals and fundamentalists look at the West, they see only the openness that makes us, in their eyes, decadent and promiscuous. They see..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a6a/thomas-l-friedman-5270_freedom_when-muslim-radicals-and-fundamentalists_508264.jpg" --- # When Muslim radicals and fundamentalists look at the West… ![“When Muslim radicals and fundamentalists look at the West, they see only the openness that makes us, in their eyes, decadent and promiscuous. They see only the openness that has produced Britney Spears and Janet Jackson. They do not see, and do not want to see, the openness - the freedom of…” quote by Thomas L. Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a6a/thomas-l-friedman-5270_freedom_when-muslim-radicals-and-fundamentalists_508264.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a6a/thomas-l-friedman-5270_freedom_when-muslim-radicals-and-fundamentalists_508264.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a6a/thomas-l-friedman-5270_freedom_when-muslim-radicals-and-fundamentalists_508264.jpg) > ““When Muslim radicals and fundamentalists look at the West, they see only the openness that makes us, in their eyes, decadent and promiscuous. They see only the openness that has produced Britney Spears and Janet Jackson. They do not see, and do not want to see, the openness - the freedom of thought and inquiry - that has made us powerful, the openness that has produced Bill Gates and Sally Ride. They deliberately define it all as decadence. Because if openness, women's empowerment, and freedom of thought and inquiry are the real sources of the West's economic strength, then the Arab-Muslim world would have to change. And the fundamentalists and extremists do not want to change.”” [Thomas L. Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-l-friedman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Western openness fuels innovation and economic power, but is mischaracterized as decadence by some fundamentalists. **In simple terms:** Western freedom drives strength, yet is seen as decadence. Key Takeaway Promote understanding of openness as strength, not weakness. Themes culture openness economics misinterpretation fundamentalism Mood critical reflective Type political analytical When to use this quote - policy debates - education curricula - media analysis Key Concepts globalization social values political rhetoric Questions to Reflect On - How can societies balance openness with cultural sensitivities? - What policies protect both freedom and security? A Different Perspective Openness can be exploited by extremist narratives. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Freedom of thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom-of-thought/) [Islam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/islam/) [Israel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/israel/) [Openness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/openness/) [Radicals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/radicals/) [Terrorists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terrorists/) ## Related quotes > [Violence is always an effort toward greater freedom or love. 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