Political fanaticism.

 Political fanaticism. 

 

In recent years, a very latent phenomenon that has been growing dangerously and vertiginously, in a context of high polarization; this distorter is presented as an enemy of electoral conscience and a healthy and mature democracy, it is political fanaticism. 

 

But let's start by defining fanaticism: 

 

According to the definition of the Royal Spanish Academy: it is an “excessive passion and tenacity in the defense of beliefs or opinions, especially religious or political ones”. 

 

For Voltaire: “Fanaticism is to superstition what delirium is to fever, what rage is to anger. He who has ecstasies, visions, who takes dreams for realities and his imaginations for prophecies is a novice fanatic with great hopes; he may soon get to kill for God's sake." 

 

Therefore, fanaticism is identified by the desire to impose their ideas, despise those who are different, be based on a series of thoughts that are unquestionable, have a square view of things because everything is black or white, and complete lack of any critical spirit. 

 

For Winston Churchill: "a fanatic is someone who cannot change his mind and does not want to change the subject." 

 

What is political fanaticism? 

 

Political fanaticism is the infatuation of a person who defends his beliefs or political opinions with excessive tenacity and blindly. Assuming unconditional adherence to a cause. 

 

Political fanaticism blinds reason and alienates the critical sense and elements of judgment that we must have to elect the most expert and honest people, and, on the other hand, they heat spirits, and exacerbate hatred, to the point of instigating violence that includes the persecution of people who do not agree with the beliefs and opinions that indoctrinate their creeds. 

 

In the fanatic, a considered behavior is generated, in some cases violent and irrational, convinced that his ideas are the best and the only valid ones, for which he despises the opinions of others, even if they are correct.

 

 More worrying is that, from the point of view of the fanatic, the objective gaze of those who analyze in depth the theses of the candidates in contention serves so that they are stigmatized and seen as enemies if their comments do not favor their leaders with caudillo trimmings. The fanatic "only sees what he wants to see", living a reality that does not belong to them, denying any criticism of it, and overcompensating themselves. 

 

These kinds of thoughts are the result of authoritarian and dictatorial systems, which at first are disguised as patriotism, and love of country; pretending to be the only ones who can change the country, but when they come to political power, they usually develop a whole regime for the imposition of their beliefs, punishing opponents, seeking to eliminate any type of reflection, because where there is no reflection, there is no contradiction or nuance. 

 

It is very important to point out that no political ideology justifies either fanaticism or psychological or physical violence; Nor is a vote rigged by a candidate justified to later obtain unholy favors. 

 

“There are two types of patriots, the one who loves his country and the one who loves the government of his country. Logically, governments will consider the latter more patriotic” James Perich