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Do you know someone who is always trying to convert people? 
Maybe you know someone who will not stop talking about their religion or political affiliation? 
How about those folks who argue Windows is better than Mac?

Starter Items

• Today is Ada Lovelace Day, Check out my tribute to Valerie Aurora
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What drives fanatics to argue, interrogate and work your last nerve?

In the name of what they think is better/right/”the only option”

Fanaticism is often black and white

We cover the difference between a fan, a person who obsesses and those who are fanatics

Malcolm Gladwell talks about “Outlers” who have put in 10,000 hours to master something:

• Hockey players
• Bill Joy
• The Beatles
• Bill Gates

Things people can be fanatical about:

• Politics
• Religion
• Software
• Dog breeds
• Aliens
• Government conspiracies
• Content Management Systems
• Operating Systems
• Computer Processors
• Hosting Companies
• Cars
• Sports
• Vacation spots
• Music

It’s hard for me to be supportive of religions that focus on “converting” people.

Religion is good because it gives people hope

True evolution is the ability to forgive others

I liked the series Firefly and the movie Serenity

I would not hire a ghost hunter

• Reason #1 – Would not buy a home where someone died
• Reason #2 – I have yet to believe ghost hunting is effective

Most celebrities don’t watch television

I have ADD / ADHD

• Being diagnosed changed my life for the better
• Medication has helped
• Learning about it has helped
• Getting support has helped
• Getting a life coach who focuses on ADD has helped
• Earliest memories of ADD challenges; coloring in 1st grade and geography in 8th grade

Book, Reasoning Skills – Success in 20 minutes a day

Asperger’s syndrome

Fanaticism as defined by the Wikipedia

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

Philosopher George Santayana defines fanaticism as
“redoubling your effort when you have forgotten your aim”;

according to Winston Churchill,
“A fanatic is one who can’t change his mind and won’t change the subject”.

By either description the fanatic displays very strict standards and little tolerance for contrary ideas or opinions.

Examples of Fanatical Groups

• The Borg
• Zombies
• Vampires

Tools Fanatics Use

• Trust
• Logic
• Guilt
• Peer Pressure

Goals of Fanatics

Increase the number of fanatics who believe what they do.  Adding people who are passive supporters or active fanatics.  Grow the numbers.

When it Gets Dangerous

When the fantatic looks at people who don’t agree with them and decide to go after them.  That’s know as war, hate crimes, ranting about someone who doesn’t share the belief system of the fanatic.

Man attacked for installing Linux

From the Chat

Sam-7521 : You are more fun than David Broder – this is a great op-ed piece :-)
ustreamer-36987 : religion appeases small minded people
Sam-7521 : WaPost columnist – grand political opinion-maker
Sam-7521 : fanboys and fangirls?
ohdoctah-2928 : religion is GREAT ppl make it bad lol
Sam-7521 : The book “The True Believer” explains this extremely well: http://is.gd/oLZu
ustreamer-36987 : how much of this applies to you?
socki03 : Conservatives tend to watch FOX News and Liberals tend to watch MSNBC. 
darkplayer38 : do you think theres life other than our own
Sam-7521 : most celebrities don’t have time to watch tv
ustreamer-60136 : so u are saying people loose touch with reality mental illness
Chris-7359 : I thought Adria was getting the rats LOL
ohdoctah-2928 : i hate A D D or adhd so many docs say ppl have it cuz its the easy way out lol
ustreamer-55088 : Have you ever had someone you were close to become a fanatic?
ustreamer-11406 : My son has aspergers syndrome
ustreamer-11406 : My boy is facinated by Maps and Sports stats
Chris-7359 : Are you changing the show time soon?
ustreamer-36987 : aids was created to eliminate africans by eugenicist
ustreamer-36987 : sars was meant to diminish the population of asia
blpjr : ty
 Chris-7359 : Good topics.  Goodbye
ustreamer-38907 : thank you
adriarichards : You are welcome.  Thanks for tuning in

The difference between a Fan and a Fanatic (also cranks) from the Wikipedia

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 the person may be considered unusual).   

A fanatic differs from a crank, in that a crank is defined as a person who holds a position or opinion which is so far from the norm as to appear ludicrous and/or provably wrong, such as a belief in widespread alien abduction. In contrast, the subject of the fanatic’s obsession may be “normal”, such as an interest in religion or politics, except that the scale of the person’s involvement, devotion, or obsession with the activity or cause is abnormal or disproportionate.