Fan in the context of the current internet verbiage is the short form of Fanatic. Yes. Think about that for a minute. A fanatic. Consider that TERRORISTS are fanatics. As well as anyone who is religiously inclined to control others.
Definition of a fanatic:
fa·nat·i·cism (f-nt-szm)
n.
Excessive, irrational zeal.
Source: The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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fanaticism [f%u0259%u02C8næt%u026A%u02CCs%u026Az%
u0259m]
n
wildly excessive or irrational devotion, dedication, or enthusiasm
Source: Collins English Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003
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and finally:
: marked by excessive enthusiasm and often intense uncritical devotion <they're fanatic about politics>
- fanatic noun
- fa·nat·i·cal·ly \f%u0259-%u02C8na-ti-k(%u0259-)l%u0113 \ adverb
- fa·nat·i·cal·ness \-k%u0259l-n%u0259s\ noun
Examples of FANATIC
1. <because of her fanatical views, her friends know better than to discuss religion with her>
Source: http://www.merriam-webster.com
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So there you see. This is why I will never become a "fan" of anything. It is based entirely off emotions and irrational thought. A mental problem I wont ever wish to have. Murderers, rapists, racists, bigots..etc those types of people are"fans" or anti-"fans" Fanatical and mindless, only filled with hate and violence, filled with irrational thoughts which provide fuel of later insane real world actions.
I will become a MEMBER of a group who enjoys something mutually, but I wont label myself a fan. Trying it turn the word into something positive doesn't change the true "fans" lol. It only forces the medical/mental field to adopt a new label for the true crazies that fans are.
Thank you, those who have read this. All rational and sentient comments are welcome.
All the rest is troll fodder.
-MD
[EDIT] Further definitions and some nice quotes here
LordHayden
If being a fan is a mental sickness, how then is it treated/cured?
Mordoz (Updated )
oh wow an actual comment. lol thanks.
Cured, huh. Well it is a kind of craze, if you think about it. Humanity tends to go to excess then later excuse its extreme nature by adopting it into its culture. So we have its beginning which may be from Hollywood at its inception. Or perhaps further back to the first president. Anything popular enough collects those who are willing to devote an inordinate amount of time and efforts to exemplify and promote that ideal, goal, person..what have you.
I personally would think if it as an addiction. A kind of social addiction similar to soap operas many women love to watch on television to the silly gay sports many so-called straight men (macho or jock) Any media leads to the formation of fans. Nothing wrong with supporting your favorite thing.
I am just poking fun mostly at the word itself. It is used wrong in the context of supporting a favorite thing in ones life. Its original and as of yet not updated meaning is that of someone who is mentally unstable and supporting something also insane to support. And so the words meaning is expanded to those who have a passion for something in media as well.
So While my rash statement in the title may seem absurd, the mental process is the same for both being a fan of a video game or being a fan of Stalin. The word itself is neutral. So that is not a problem.
So to conclude my long-winded, unintended speech: No cure for those who are deluded and take it to extremes and plenty of cure for those who get tired of things fast. Self-cured. Two different mental processes there. Those who are "fans" and those who are "fanatics"
So there is a potential solution. Separate Fan from Fanatic and make them separate words altogether :-)
Isn't semantics fun? Hahaahaha
-MD