Society and Culture: When Does "Supportiveness" Become "Fanaticism?"

I have long been a believer in supporting people in their causes, endeavors and passions... but in recent years, it seems like the line between being a supporter of something and outright fanaticism has blurred considerably.

It seems like it is no longer "good enough" to simply believe someone is doing a good and worthy thing and saying "yeah, I support that idea..." instead, you are now expected to be ALL-in, ALL the time! and if you're not you're practically considered the enemy.

Maybe this has always been true about certain areas of life such as religion and faith, but it feels like this trend has spilled over into politics, general interests and "movements."

But what is fanaticism, anyway?

Maybe my interpretation is a bit narrow minded in thinking of it as a mindset in which someone is committed to an approach of "MY way, to the adamant and intolerant exclusion of ALL other opinions!" and a fierce defense of that perspective that completely shuts out both compromise and any receptiveness to potential new ideas coming from "outside" a narrow-bandwidth echo chamber.

A recent — and somewhat unusual — experience I had with this phenomenon came as a result of my support of a particular artist I give a small monthly donation to via Patreon who got all butthurt and offended when she discovered that I also supported a different artist's work, not just hers.

Although no big "drah-mah" ensued there was an uncomfortable subtext of "If you love MINE, you don't get to love anyone ELSE's!" Somewhere in there was also the idea that if I could afford $6 a month in my measly philanthropic endeavors, she should get it ALL, rather than $3 each to two people.

I don't necessarily agree with this perspective of "THIS thing/idea, to the absolute EXCLUSION of all OTHER ideas!"

Isn't that precisely the sort of narrow mindset that gets people to go to war over little more than a storm in a teacup?

There are so often a bunch of ironic contradictions at the heart of this kind of mindset... like the people who crusade for "Freedom of Speech," AS LONG AS it's the "speech" THEY want to hear! What they really are asking for is freedom of consequences from whatever free speech they are practicing.

It strikes me as highly toxic and dysfunctional. But maybe I'm missing something?

The other day I came across a new term that sheds at least a little light on this trend: "Toxic Individualism."

Don't get me wrong, I'm all in favor of individualism, freedom and people's "rights," but it goes overboard when some individuals start acting like they are the only living and breathing entity on the planet and it is their "right" to talk on the phone in a movie theater, or play 90dB gangsta rap on their personal sound system right next to the kids' play area at the park.

And yet, if you politely request them not to, you're suddenly painted an an authoritarian trying to infringe on their RIGHTS as an individual!"

Look around you! Your "rights" are ruining everyone else's day at the park. Is that also your "right?"

That might sound removed from the original train of thought about fanaticism, but the two seem carved from the same root psychology: "the only thing in the world is 100% MY PARADIGM!"

Then again, maybe we're just living in an increasingly self-involved and narcissistic world!

Thanks for reading, and have a great rest of your week!

What do YOU think? Does the world seem more EXTREME these days? More driven by "all or nothing" thinking and intolerance? Leave a comment — share your experiences — be part of the conversation!

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Created at 20210308 14:59 PST
0204/1447