[thechat] The Sociology of Fanaticism

[Ken Kogler]

> I don't really see the deadhead phenomenon as being
> parallel to 104 days of rollercoaster or psycho
> hockey-dads.

> Deadheads struck me as being a group of people who
> created their own tribe/scene/reality/family sort

Agreed. The common link that I see, however, is that deadheads basically
abandonded whatever life they were living before discovering the band to
follow a musical group around the country.

That could very well be an exaggeration, but the more hardcore deadheads
could prove me right...

> One person's fanatic is another person's enthusiast.

I'm quoting you on that -- I like that! :)

> Anyway, in as far as group/scene enthusiasm goes,
> there was a fascinating feature in a recent Portland
> Mercury about the Klingon karaoke scene here in
> Portland which seems to attract some very dedicated
> enthusiasts.

Thanks for the link. But this reminds me, I need to dig up my copy of
"Trekkies" for this presentation... :)

> As for positive, I think that "fanaticism" by
> definition is not a positive term.

After a bit of refelction, I agree with that. I think these days
"fanatic" is often equated to "terrorist" (no matter how uncomfortable
that makes us or how unfair that may seem)... I may have to be a bit
more careful in my wording of this so as not to give people the wrong
impression.

Thanks, Erika, you've been very helpful.

--Ken Kogler