II. Fanaticism

   It's more common than you think! Fanaticism happens when we become committed to irrational modes of thinking or procedures for doing, stubbornly resisting alternatives or improvements, even disallowing reason and rationality to show a better way. Fanaticism persists especially when the irrational mode of thinking or doing provides the decision-maker with a means for obtaining what he/she wants or avoiding what he/she doesn't want.

   Sometimes, fanaticism may actually be an outgrowth of that human tendency to become conservative, to resist change merely because it is "change!” The fanatical decision-maker may simply wish to avoid — at all costs — the mental or physical exertion needed to resort to some other, better, mode of thinking or doing. Once we become trained into doing things a certain way, or even thinking in a certain way, we resist change. "Why do you want me to start doing it that way? Do it this way, and it’ll work!” The difference between fanaticism and conservatism, of course, is that conservatism is mere laziness. All that is needed to get one to snap out of his or her conservative mode is a simple explanation. Fanaticism, on the other hand, represents a stubborn commitment to irrationality. No explanation suffices to redirect the fanatic's thinking.

  A. Commitment To Righteousness

Righteousness or Virtue may be aptly defined as that tendency
to supplant concern for self with concern for others.

   Righteousness (Safety, Compassion, Responsibility) represents the easiest way to working around any tendency for becoming committed to irrational, fanatical modes of thinking. Once we become committed to RIGHT, we respect others and allow for their viewpoints, and we become committed to reason and rationality:

   As an example, consider the fanatical strategist who believes that all his problems may be solved by gaining advantage so as to dominate a future scenario. Certainly, many big corporations plan this way, hoping to introduce some superior product or service before anyone else, or vying for people's minds with advertising so that their products or services may subsequently become perceived in such a way. Some rather serious problems could arise from such planning if no one takes the time to consider the potential implications that may follow. So, our big corporations have legal advisors to advise them of impending issues of liability should they fail to exercise certain restraint or advance preparation before their new products, services or even advertising schemes are at last introduced to the public mind. This is important to remember, because as an individual decision-maker on your own, lacking the benefit of a score of dedicated advisors, you must keep in mind that focusing all your thoughts on YOU, on strategic gain for self, on offense-defense decision-making strategies is not generally appropriate and in fact is RARELY appropriate to the social setting. As members of modern civilization, we have all been acclimated to this mode of thinking because of the greater incidence of game-playing so much characterizing present-day society. So, thinking along these lines may seem natural and common sense, but it is NOT. This mode of thinking is in fact DANGEROUS, because it redirects all your thinking away from considerations for the well-being of others and soley toward considerations for what is best for only you: "What must I do to win? What strategies must I contemplate if I am to emerge the victor?”

Righteousness represents a lofty goal to gain, but you certainly won't reach it if you overlook the welfare of all your fellow beings around you! Respect and be Considerate of Others.

  B. Safety versus Compassion

   Always Put Safety First! Yes, you always should. In professional decision-making, nothing is tantamount to protecting the lives of all those who may subsequently become affected by your decisions. Preparation is the goal behind this mental rule, because someday all your preparation shall come to bear, and subsequently everyone will be grateful for your foresight. Safety is the means to an end — Preparation. We want to be prepared so that we may subsequently make Compassionate decisions. We want to root out our assumptions so that nothing may subsequently become overlooked.

   So, make note: Safety is not a rule to fanatically commit ourselves to! It's a rule we may rely on to perpetually guide our thinking toward becoming more prepared for whatever may yet head our way. In subsequent situations, we may need to rely on all our advance preparation so that we may subsequently find it easier to resort to something even more noble: Selflessness. In trying times, we may need to rely on all our advance preparation so as to quickly and effectively resolve whatever crisis may have occurred to again achieve some more stable state of affairs, some semblance of "normalcy." In those trying times, we may neglect safety a bit out of compassion, to selflessly protect another in need or save another in danger. In such scenarios, a certain level of safety is determined as sufficient while we go about caring, protecting, rescuing. Compassion overrides safety when all our advance preparation has made us "safe enough" to allow for slight risk. This is the logic guiding the firefighter, the police officer, the helicopter pilot or the high speed ambulance driver as they rush in harm's way to save a life. They have been thoroughly trained. They know the risks, but they also know what to do to navigate around them. And lives are saved. They represent our greatest accomplishment for all our advance efforts at preparation.

   One miniscule possibility for a tragic outcome to a decision suffices to bar implementation of that decision unless all the other alternatives turn out to be worse than the unsafe contingency in question. And it is all our preparation in advance that helps to mitigate just how aversive all those other potential alternatives shall subsequently become. Preparation in advance may burden us today, but it gives us greater choice in those trying times that we may face tomorrow. Think "Safety and Preparation in Advance” today so that if you need to you may think "Compassion and Sufficiently Safe” tomorrow.

  C. Law versus RIGHT

   Write down a rule, any rule.

   Now organize a group of kids, and enforce the rule. If the rule is wrong and a complaint is issued, what happens? "It’s the rule of our respected authority (that is, YOU)! We must obey, no matter what the consequences!”

   Sound logical? Of course not. But if you ask anyone a similar question, "Must everyone in society always abide by the law?” what do you hear? "We are a society of laws. Everyone must obey the law. No one is above the law!”

   That's not logical either, for the law is not always right. Our legislators do make mistakes. Our courts do hear cases of laws requiring revision. The law is never above Righteousness. No one is above the law only insofar as the law is Right (Safe, Responsible, Compassionate). We must never allow unsafe, uncompassionate, uncaring consequences to ill-conceived laws! Otherwise, what you are saying is, "If someone gets hurt, who cares? It’s the law. It’s a rule written and accepted by those several hundred representatives over there. Just allow the consequences to unfold, whatever they may be. If someone gets hurt, well, then the system will be required to recompense. But, you got to let it happen! The law isn’t wrong until something wrong actually happens!” Utter nonsense! Apathetic commitment to prewritten rules (called "laws") — even when they are wrong! — is one of the most idiotic, self-defeating mental programs humans have ever conceived! Rather than committing yourself to documented oversight, Fix It NOW when you find the flaw! CARE to Prepare and Prevent overrides laying blame for actual consequence.

   "Equal Justice Under The Law” constitutes yet another fanatical belief that many members of modern society need to snap out of, regardless of how proudly advocated and popularly accepted it has become. "Equal Justice,” certainly constitutes a noble goal, but "Under the Law,” represents an unnecessary commitment to potential err. No body of humans has ever been or ever shall be infallible, regardless of how many they are or how dedicated they may become. They are, after all, a group of humans, capable of err. "Equal Justice for All,” or "Equality by Righteousness,” or "Equality through Virtue,” or "Righteousness Before Law and Before All,” may be more appropriate precepts to adhere to. Humans do stupid things at times, sometimes even in huge mass, and this is one glaring example. What seems logical to one intelligent mind is likely to seem logical to another. So where one intelligent mind errs, another is likely as well, and another, and another, and .... The erroneous perception may pervade an entire society. Remember this one: "The world is flat!” How long did it take us to snap out of that one? Someone had to actually sail around the world before society as a whole accepted the alternative theory!

Never believe that a few caring people can’t change the world,
for indeed that’s all who ever have. — Margaret Mead.

   As pointed out in Mental Map: Righteousness, a caring, empathetic, ethical/moral, deliberative, safe and responsible leader is righteous, but righteousness in the professional world encompasses more than just that. As a righteous professional you must be cognizant of all the laws that are applicable to your situation. Nevertheless, always recognize the possibility that the laws are themselves incomplete, that our legislators may have overlooked some particular details or subtle exceptions (See the description of Righteousness at Morality In Decision Making). Righteousness and Responsibility demand that you decide accordingly, amending your own decision-making in a way that is best for all those who will subsequently become affected, sometimes well beyond the dictates of some imperfectly conceived law.

A good man does nothing for the sake of appearance, but for the sake of doing right.
— Epictetus, Discourses, III.

   Remember that, in the long run, NOTHING is of greater importance or attains higher priority than considerations of Individual Rights. Nothing, no issue of "fairness," no capital gain or loss, no argument — however popular, emotion-packed or powerfully advocated — can achieve greater significance or value than caring for and protecting the lives of all those who will subsequently become touched by your decisions.

_________________________________
   ^*Realize that virtually anything requiring preparation prior to mastery may be considered a "game," anything from something as simple as a spelling bee to something much more demanding like, say, a job interview. While some games require considerable strategic thinking to win, others require only ample advance preparation, and yet others may require both. So, though strategic thinking may be appropriate only to games and the second item listed above, not all games necessarily require strategic offensive and/or defensive planning if one is to win at them.
   Additionally, in not all games are we totally oblivious to how our players are feeling. For example, consider our athletes in our ever popular, present-day sporting events. When they are injured, specialists rush to the scene and care for their injuries even though the games may go on.

All opinions expressed in this web site, unless otherwise noted, are my own, Michael Gaspard. If you notice any errors or have any suggestions for improvement, please let me know by e-mailing webmaster@mdpme.com. Thank you!

This web page was last updated on Monday, June 28, 2004.
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