Fanaticism – A Lesson Not Learned
Fanaticism is a human practice or behavior that has plagued the world throughout the centuries. Fanaticism is a lesson not learned by humankind through the centuries.
Fanaticism is a mental condition translated by an absolute and erroneous devotion to a person, a cause, an ideology, a racial supremacy, or a country.
That absolute and unconditional devotion to a person or to another subject demonstrates in essence, a phenomenon of intolerance by the fanatic toward those who don’t share their convictions or ideas.
Fanaticism derives from a concept of blindly accepting thoughts and ideas from others without questioning them. It is a way to go along with certain behaviors, knowing that it can hurt others, with words or actions.
The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubt.
Bertrand Russel
Fanaticism leads troubled people to overlook their leaders misconduct, criminal activity, bad judgment, slander, lies, and negligence.
Followers can be manipulated, brainwashed, blinded to the truth. They are incapable of seeing anything wrong with the ones they follow, and are pushed to commit acts of violence. They accept ideas believing that they are absolute truths, overlooking reality, despising logic, and facts.
The question is why do they do it? Could it be a state of mind in which somebody is deeply unhappy about something? Certainly, they are used by third parties to fulfill personal interests, ideological, religious, or political goals, but why do they follow leaders with eyes closed without reflection?
Looking back in history at some mass movements in Europe, there are parallels with what is happening now in North and South America. We notice groups in blind obedience to leaders who bring their people to division, intolerance, and hatred. Fanaticism limits and ignores reason and more than anything, it protects wrongdoing.
Fanaticism is giving signs of resurfacing in parts of the Globe. Like in the past decades in Europe, fanaticism brings unexpected conflicts, division and fear. It leads people to behave with extreme violence toward those who don’t share their unreasonable concepts . So they, to defend their positions, opinions, and faiths, use any method, be it disrespect, provocation, violence or even death.
This way fanaticism seems to be a disease like a virus that plagues the people through the ages and is definitely a lesson not learned.