"Political extremism involves two prime ingredients: an excessively simple diagnosis of the world's ills, and a conviction that there are identifiable villains back of it all"

This quote by John W. Gardner speaks to the threats of political extremism. He suggests that political extremism is defined by 2 primary elements: an oversimplified view of the world's problems and a belief that there specify people or groups accountable for these issues. This oversimplification of the world's issues can lead to a distorted view of truth and a lack of understanding of the complexities of the world. In addition, the identification of bad guys can result in a harmful us-versus-them mentality, which can result in additional polarization and dispute. Eventually, Gardner's quote serves as a warning versus the risks of political extremism and the need to comprehend the complexities of the world in order to create meaningful options.