Fanaticism

Fanaticism is an emotion of being filled with excessive, uncritical zeal, particularly for an extreme religious or political cause, or with an obsessive enthusiasm for a pastime or hobby.

According to philosopher George Santayana, "Fanaticism consists in redoubling your effort when you have forgotten your aim."

The difference between a fan and a fanatic is that while both have an overwhelming liking or interest in a given subject, behaviour of a fanatic will be viewed as violating prevailing social norms, while that of a fan will not violate those norms (although is usually considered unusual).

Categories of fanaticism

• consumer fanaticism - the level of involvement or interest one has in the liking of a particular person, group, trend, artwork or idea.
• religious fanaticism - considered by some to be the most extreme form of religious fundamentalism. Blah
• anti-religious fanaticism: As opposed to religious fanatics, anti-religious fanatics are obsessed with the fanatic opposition to religious people. As it is in the case of religious fanaticism, it is often coupled with political fanaticism (Anti-clericalism in the Spanish civil war, nazism, some forms of communism). Often religious fanaticism is addressed in the propaganda of anti-religious fanatics, and vice-versa.

See also

• Enthusiasm
• Religious fanaticism

Reference

• Scott Thorne, Gordon C. Bruner, Qualitative Market Research: An International Journal, 2006, Volume: 9, Issue: 1, online
• (Life of Reason, 1905, vol. 1, Introduction)
• (Thorne&Bruner 2006)