ABSTRACT
While ‘fanaticism’ may seem an elusive term, some steps toward a characterisation are possible. It involves great energy, single-minded direction and a lack of any restraint or moderation. It is characterised by extremes of effort and fervour of intensity. It can be physical, mental or spiritual. Many kinds of personal fanaticism are harmless to a society, such as an obsession for a hobby that outgrows all bounds and comes to twist one’s personality. Some sorts of fanaticism may appear proximate to virtue: the religious fervour of an ascetic or a spiritual teacher may seem odd to contemporaries yet venerable in the eyes of later ages. For a political or social leader, there may be an evident obsession with an eccentric vision of national destiny that defines the whole adult life. Another example of such fanaticism could be professional: irrationally fierce commitment to ‘quality’ by someone overseeing an industry’s production. By themselves, none of these demand outside political regulation, and none should cause war.
