The brain of a healthy person is able to process up to 10 thousand thoughts per day. For fanatics, life circumstances and actions are subordinated to one dominant thought, which is why they cannot switch to everyday problems and needs. If they succeed, it is automatically and for a short time. Fanatics live in constant stress.
Fanaticism - what is it?
“Fanaticism” is translated from Latin as “frenzy.” People suffering from this pathology have atrophied doubt - they blindly believe in an idea or a person who excites and impresses them, and deify their ideal. Fanatics differ from ordinary people in their willingness to sacrifice their own and others’ lives, their denial of criticism, social norms and common sense. Such people are not aware of the destructive consequences of their behavior.
Fanaticism is a mental illness that can affect any area. The international classification indicates 7 types of disease, some of them are normally perceived in society:
- political;
- health;
- ideological;
- scientific;
- religious;
- sports;
- cultural.
Levels of fanaticism
There are 2 levels of fanaticism:
- Moderate. With this level of fanaticism, people are adherents of a certain idea, they can impose it, however, they are not inclined to use violence in the name of their idea;
- Heavy. Adherents of an idea make active efforts to convince people with opposing opinions of it and to lure them away. To achieve their goal, they are ready to use various means, including physical and psychological violence.
There is also socially acceptable and unacceptable fanaticism. The first type includes youth subcultures, football fans. Society treats such movements with caution, but loyally. The second type includes religious sects and terrorists.
Signs of fanaticism
Fanaticism has two degrees - moderate and extreme. The middle degree is common and manifests itself in the fact that a person is subject to a dominant idea, but does not take it to the point of absurdity and does not impose it on others. The extreme degree of mental disorder is diagnosed less frequently and is expressed in the rigid imposition of one’s choice on other people, tyranny towards them, including torture and other types of physical violence. Symptoms of the disease manifest themselves in the following deviations from the norm:
- The fanatic takes events concerning his idol to heart. He suffers, becomes depressed, even to the point of committing suicide because of his idol’s marriage and the loss of his favorite football club.
- A person accompanies the object of worship on tour, is on duty at the house, and buys accessories and attributes associated with it.
- Fanatical people constantly talk about “idee fixes” - they are not interested in other topics.
- Interests and hobbies that used to be a joy fade into the background.
- A fanatic reacts aggressively to any attacks from others regarding the object or subject of his worship.
Disadvantages of fanaticism and its negative impact
Fanaticism is a destructive tendency towards something. It prevents the individual from feeling freedom, developing, and self-realization in life. And that's not the whole problem. Another danger of fanaticism is the fanatical person's lack of ability to agree with another point of view. As a result, rejection of opposing ideas can become a reason for war, violence, and infringement of rights.
Fanatics do not have a stable psychological state. These are asocial and aggressive people who pose a danger to themselves and society, and do not take into account existing norms and rules. The appearance of fanatics and their behavior only frightens the people around them. To describe a fanatic, the following phrase is enough: “he is crazy.” Fanatic people are characterized by loud speech, harsh expressions, shouting, an unnatural sparkle in the eyes, and active gestures. The fanatic does not want to see and hear the real world. He has his own reality.
Conflict between a simple and a fanatical person can break out for any reason. For example, visiting a club. A fan is ready to tear another person to pieces for any little thing that is opposed to him. He also has strong positive emotions. A crowd of fanatics can practically tear their idol to pieces.
Fanaticism towards a person
This type of mental disorder differs from others in that a specific person becomes the object of persecution and worship of the fanatic. Often the victim of fanaticism is a popular singer, musician, actor or other famous person. The main danger of this state is its stability - the closer the idol, the more dangerous the behavior of his fans. The modern stage knows hundreds of cases when fans in ecstasy tore the clothes of celebrities, broke into their homes, and chased them on tour.
Fanaticism can manifest itself towards a person of the opposite sex. This form of disorder is often confused with love. A woman’s love for a man implies a sober assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of her partner, while fanatical infatuation idealizes and deifies him, worships him, does not notice his shortcomings, and justifies any words and actions of his deity.
Reasons for the emergence of fanaticism
There are a fairly large number of reasons that give rise to personal fanaticism. For example, it can become a consequence of family upbringing, or it can develop gradually, for example, when one person receives unlimited power. There are psychological reasons for the emergence of fanaticism. As a rule, people who usually become fanatics are:
— experiencing difficulties in identifying their own personality, self-realization in life;
- those who do not trust the world around them or themselves;
- without education, who believe in prejudices, experience fear;
- easily suggestible, without their own worldview, life values, principles;
- schizoid, hysterical personality type.
- lacking confidence;
- those in need of control, accustomed to subordination;
The tendency towards fanaticism appears in childhood. She is affected by the destructive style of upbringing in the family. Authoritarianism, demandingness, child manipulation, isolation, deprivation, violent acts, and lack of love and care have a similar effect. A prerequisite for the formation of fanaticism is a feeling of uselessness, insolvency, and powerlessness.
Most often, a person’s fanaticism is the result of certain manipulations. Their victims are usually people who cannot decide on goals in their lives, are too trusting, and naive. Fanatics are born in a crowd that has a leader. Mass fanaticism is considered very destructive and carries great danger. It is much worse than individual. People in crowds can destroy shops, various buildings, and set cities on fire.
Sports fanaticism
A sports fanatic is a person who is generally accepted by society. An army of football fans comes to other cities and countries to support their favorite team. Matches end peacefully or with fights started by fans. In modern society, such behavior is considered a fan movement, a subculture, or part of a sports game. You can distinguish a fan from an ordinary fan by the following characteristics:
- Abuse of beer and other alcoholic drinks.
- Taking doping (soft drugs, pills, energy drinks).
- Permissiveness in words and actions during competitions and after their completion.
Like a fanatic argues
One of the main manifestations of fanatical behavior is the need to instill one’s ideology on others.
At the same time, persuasion is not built on the principle of dialogue or argument. In a dispute, it is important to critically evaluate judgments and to be able to convey and perceive someone else’s point of view. A dispute with a fanatic follows the principle of a one-goal game: he can convey his thoughts to his interlocutor, but his interlocutor cannot. A fanatic does not have logical arguments in his arsenal; he will prove his dogmas through other dogmas and refer to sources that cannot be verified. They often do not avoid the use of intimidation, force and personalization. A fanatic will not miss an opportunity to denigrate a point of view that contradicts his faith.
Profession and character of a person: feedback
Religious fanaticism
Religious fanatics elevate their religion to a cult, denying the existence of other faiths. They and their like-minded people are driven by the desire to rule over people of other faiths. The group values of fanatics are elevated to a cult of worship - they blindly believe in the religious leader, obey him unquestioningly and are ready to give their lives if necessary.
Muslim and Orthodox fanaticism are equally dangerous with extremist aspirations. New members of the sect are “brainwashed” in 2-3 weeks, and after 4-5 years of living according to the rules of the religious community, the changes become irreversible. Any cult shares the same characteristics:
- They have a leader who calls himself the messiah.
- They are ruled by a totalitarian system and philosophy.
- Cult members unquestioningly obey the rules of the community.
- Fanatics unquestioningly give property and money for the benefit of the community.
Types of fanaticism
In the psychiatric literature, there are seven types of fanaticism, and there is a clear description of each disorder. Like many mental disorders, the origins of fanaticism should be sought in childhood. A totalitarian regime in a country, an authoritarian regime in a family, all this leaves its mark on the development of personality and affects the appearance of one or another disorder.
- Cultural;
- Religious;
- Sports;
- Political;
- Healthy;
- Ideological;
- Scientific;
In most cases, in unfavorable conditions, children grow up with low self-esteem and need a leader, or someone who will love them.
As a rule, such people choose an idol - a famous person - and begin to worship her. They attend events where the object of their adoration appears, sit in ambush near the house, steal personal belongings and bombard them with love messages.
Idealizing his idol, the fan reacts extremely painfully to everything that happens in the life of his chosen one. Soon the fanatic begins to consider the idol as property, and may try to harm him if, in his opinion, the idol begins to behave incorrectly.
Often fanatical behavior develops in poorly educated people who lead a secluded lifestyle. Even with a slight push, such people can develop religious fanaticism. They read religious literature, but interpret it in their own way.
Even if the religion is quite peaceful, fanatic people eventually cross the line. They try to convince everyone of the truth of their religion, and quite aggressively.
St. Bartholomew's Night claimed the lives of 20 thousand Huguenots, who, according to Catholics, were of the “wrong” faith. No one can count how many victims the Crusades and witch hunts brought.
▪️Orthodox fanaticism can be seen in large churches. Surely everyone has encountered an army of old women in church who follow on the heels of visitors. They attack like a vulture those who cross themselves incorrectly, light a candle incorrectly, or are dressed incorrectly. They have their own rules, which have little correlation with the simplicity and tolerance of Orthodoxy. They believe that they have the right to demand the fulfillment of their own dogmas, invented by them, and they do this in an extremely aggressive manner.
▪️Fanaticism is present to one degree or another in every religion, but fanaticism manifested itself most radically in Islam. Despite the fact that the Koran instructs to bring goodness to the world and calls for learning and learning new things, individual branches of Islam interpret the Holy Book in their own way. In their opinion, it is necessary to convert all “infidels” to Islam or destroy them. Unfortunately, very often there are “prophets” who pursue their goals by recruiting an army of fanatics. Under the guise of a “holy war,” they take away lands from their neighbors, seize new territories and enrich themselves at the expense of their own army of followers.
▪️Sports fanaticism can be highlighted separately. At first glance, it seems harmless. People are interested in sports, go to competitions and worry about their team. However, it is sports fanaticism that has given rise to entire armies of young people who are distinguished by their ugly behavior.
It's good to "cheer" for your team. The players see the spectators, hear their shouts of encouragement and this inspires them. But what is the benefit of the fact that after the match the fans engage in a mortal battle with the fans of the opposing team, destroying stadiums and everything that comes in their way?
▪️An aggravation of political fanaticism usually occurs during the election period. Political leaders do not skimp on promises, and a properly designed PR campaign can influence the unstable psyche of potential voters. Such fans can be seen at rallies, at election headquarters, and recognized by their glowing eyes.
▪️Healthy fanaticism takes on truly terrifying forms. Strict veganism prescribes the abstinence of any animal products, and many babies have died from malnutrition, falling victim to the plant-based idea and the “healthy” lifestyle of their parents. Healthy fanaticism is an ideal appearance (plastic surgery), and much more.
▪️Ideological fanaticism covers many areas of life, and it is impossible to single out just one thing. Alien abduction, belief in a worldwide Masonic conspiracy, treasure hunting. Ideological fanatics, as a rule, are loners and lead a secluded lifestyle.
▪️Scientific fanaticism is often found in certain scientific circles. Most discoveries are the result of long research and painstaking work.
Scientist fanatics go a different way. They rely on hypotheses rather than actual research results. They know what result they need and everything that goes against their idea causes them rejection and rage.
How do you become fanatics?
The psychology of fanaticism identifies 3 reasons that push a person to change.
- Envy of other people's successes.
- Low self-esteem.
- A famous person who has achieved everything and shines.
The psychology of religious fanaticism is based on the hopelessness of a person when he finds himself in a difficult life situation and sees no way out of it. At such moments, he goes into religion and, unbeknownst to himself, falls under the influence of the adherents of the sect. They instill in him knowledge of the “right path”, sympathize, express their readiness to support and talk about problems that they themselves have recently encountered. Fanatics flee from reality into religion not out of love for God, but from their own suffering and the indifference of others.
Examples of famous fanatics
Due to their characteristics, fanatical individuals often become known throughout the world.
The most striking example is Adolf Hitler, a racial bigot of the 20th century. Let's take a closer look at other examples. The fanatic was Heinrich Kramer, a medieval German activist of the Inquisition, author of the treatise “The Hammer of the Witches.” There are obvious fanatical traits in his personality. With his commitment to the Catholic Church and his desire to cleanse it of heresy, he justified brutal torture and murder. Although the methods of the witch trials were legal, it was impossible to logically prove the involvement of people in witchcraft. Therefore, Kramer decides to write a work on heretics, on the basis of which it will be possible to condemn as many people as possible. His sermons were more like the speech of a madman. He claimed that the end of the world was about to come at the hands of the devil, intimidated his flock at the slightest suspicion of heresy and did not look for a way to justify anyone.
An example of mass fanaticism is an event in France in the mid-16th century, called St. Bartholomew's Night. Then about 30 thousand Protestants were killed on religious grounds; Catholics were the aggressors. The event was not planned as a mass event, but the situation got out of control. The reason for this is the passionate hatred of one group of the population towards another. They only needed a reason to allow themselves inhuman behavior, justified by a good goal - proof of the superiority of their religion. This indicates the ease of spreading fanatical ideas, their “contagiousness.”
One example of useful bigotry is the behavior of Greta Thunberg. There is no need to talk about fanaticism in full here, but the girl still has some features of fanatical behavior. For example, Asperger's syndrome, which Thunberg suffers from, allows her to intensely focus on issues that are important to her, cutting off all related interests. Devotion to her ideas allowed her to become one of the leading popularizers of ecology.
Steve Jobs was a true fanatic of his business. He was preoccupied with creating the perfect product, his genius bordering on recklessness. For improper fulfillment of obligations by employees, Jobs could, without mincing words, explain who the fool was. For whom there really was no reality beyond the sphere of his professional hobbies.
As you can see, fanatics are different. Even the words “religious fanatic” and “fanatic of his cause” have different emotional connotations. A fanatic of his craft - a master, a professional who puts his work first. A religious fanatic is an inadequate follower of faith, a fanatic.
Are you a nihilist, or do you simply not care about everyone and everything?
How to get rid of fanaticism?
Fanaticism as a psychological phenomenon appeared in the 17th century, when the Catholic Bishop Bossuet introduced this concept into use. Successful recovery from the disease is possible if:
- The fanatic will realize that his claims are false.
- Learn to analyze obsessive thoughts and look at the situation from the other side.
- Will switch to other events.
- Increase self-esteem.
- Seek help from a psychologist.
Common Forms of Persuasion
1. Religious belief is the most pronounced form of interest in the religious sphere of activity, with the creation of a cult of worship from it and the creation of a group of people with the same thinking.
Relatively recently, this concept was found exclusively in history textbooks. It dates back to the times of the USSR. But now people's lives have changed, and we hear about religious fanaticism almost every day.
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To a person who has absolutely nothing to do with religion, it may seem that any religious person is a bearer of radical religious beliefs. But for believers, comparing them with fanatics is offensive, to say the least.
Almost always, religious belief is based on the fact that a holy sacrifice is offered in the name of God. The basis of this belief is faith. This is where you need to be careful. There is no need to confuse faith and fanaticism. Here are the differences between these two phenomena:
- A believer has a calm, non-aggressive behavior, but a fanatic is always full of emotions, he is unable to restrain himself.
- Believers never wish harm to others. A fanatic can be aggressive in his actions, and very often.
- Usually, to prove his point, a fanatic tries to shout down his opponent. A believer tries to calmly and peacefully convey his thoughts to others.
In general, the difference is clear. One is calm, the other is aggressive. Fanaticism is closely related to religion. But we must not forget that religion first of all implies genuine faith.
2. Ideological persuasion is also often called political fanaticism. If you look closely, you will notice that we meet with him every day. Ideological fanaticism is associated with the struggle of people for their political beliefs, with the achievement of certain political goals and the expression of views on the regime and power with the help of which the country is governed.
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As an example of the manifestation of such fanaticism, one can cite a large number of terrorist attacks that were committed to seize power. This also includes uprisings, coups d'état, and so on.
Psychologists note that the source of political beliefs is often the desire for power and the desire to subjugate as many people as possible at any cost, possible or impossible. That is why the most irreconcilable political fanatics, one way or another, turned to methods that allow them to seize power.
Films about fanatics
Fanaticism in love, religion, sports and any social sphere is a sign of emotional instability, impressionability, lack of leadership qualities, and suggestibility. Dozens of films have been made about fanatics - they talk about the consequences of blind faith and following idols, religious servility.
- “The Fan”
with Robert De Niro is a drama about the complex relationship between a professional athlete and his fan. - “The Master”
tells the story of a sailor who got a job in a photo studio after the war. After a while, the former military man falls under the influence of a religious leader and begins to preach his precepts. - "Die, John Tucker!"
The plot of the film tells about a high school macho man, against whom his three ex-girlfriends want to take revenge. They are not stopped by the fact that the bait in the insidious plan is a girl who has just arrived in the city.
Personality traits that contribute to the development of fanaticism
There are several prerequisites for the formation of a fanatical personality.
Having them does not mean at all that a person will necessarily become a fanatic. This is facilitated by a whole range of reasons, both internal (character, type of nervous system, ideology) and external (socio-cultural and historical aspect). So, the risk zone includes people who have the following character traits:
- Affectivity
. That is, emotional impulsiveness, the habit of making decisions rashly. - The need to find ideological support in life, self-doubt
. The lack of internal personal convictions and sufficient knowledge does not allow the fanatic to think critically and convinces him of the correctness of any, even the most mythical ideas. - Addiction proneness
. - Belonging to one of the character accentuations according to K. Leonhard
: demonstrative, dysthymic, excitable and stuck.
In addition, the world surrounding the future fanatic seems hostile to him, and the fanatic himself believes in personal responsibility to the world for changing it for the better.
Temperament - what is it in psychology?
