Crazy Little Things Called Fans

I had no idea that becoming interested in Taylor Hicks, could lead to such drama, borderline insanity and absurdity. As background, it was the fifth season of the reality show, American Idol and a soft-spoken shy appearing, attractive gray-haired man was introduced to we, the viewers. Taylor Hicks certainly was the Unlikely Idol; I being the sucker I am for the underdog, had to research what I could on the guy. I mean, with Taylor's older appearance, gray hair, his style of dress, he looked more like one of the other contestant's Dads, but man, I liked his singing, his selection of songs. Taylor Hicks presented a refreshing change from the Pop Tart norm featured on the show. I decided to chronicle what happened week to week with him and see what might develop.

It's crazy, what's happening now,in a small sector of the Taylor Hicks' internet fan world.
Crazy

At the present, there has arisen a conflict between two fan sites, The Caroline Lyders Fan Club, and a site known as MFOYA. The battle reminding me somewhat of activities seen at recent basketball games and on soccer fields - the publicized fights and brawls; difference in the fan world of the web where great physical distance can occur the fighting is most usually limited to the written word.

The chief reason behind the controversy and the now becoming messy cyber fan war is MFOYA's questioning of some photographs taken of Taylor Hicks and one of his love interests. A new twist to this situation, denizens of the Caroline Lyders Fan Club are venturing out and targeting the folks who post and frequent MFOYA. It's pitiable almost, the level of fanaticism being witnessed by the members of this on-line group. I feel for the lady whose name appears in their title, sullied by the chicanery parlayed by this site's members. If I were she, my attorneys would be talking to the site's owners. You see, there are no conversations praising Ms. Lyders, this site is not about her. This site's only focus aimed at the on-line persona and presence who goes by the name, MFOYA - and now anyone who visits that site. On the Caroline Lyders Fan Club, MFOYA is referenced often as simply 'ass', but the true asses are those individulas perpetuating this farce, the constituents of this inappropriately named website.

In seeking to find the definition of 'fan' I turned to the on-line dictionery:

fa·nat·ic (fə-năt'ĭk) pronunciation n.- A person marked or motivated by an extreme, unreasoning enthusiasm, as for a cause. An obsessive enthusiasm for a pastime or hobby. The level of involvement or interest one has in the liking of a particular person, group, trend, artwork or idea. See also enthusiasm. Intense enjoyment, interest or approval. adj. Fanatical.

Fanaticism has been described as an "excessive intolerance of opposing views."
I think fanaticism, actually, is the new language of social capital. If you speak the language of the fanatics, you’re given entry into their sort of secret society. In this case, this ridiculous cyber war involving Taylor Hicks, the only acceptable language toward Taylor is blind acceptance; if you think outside that box you are open for harassment. This conflict doesn't even involve whether you are a fan of his or not, it concerns discussing topics a certain group considers Taboo.

Back to school; the basics of the word itself. Interestingly 'fanatic' made its English language debut in the first half of the 16th c. and meant an insane person. Derived from the Latin fanum, meaning temple, and is a reference to the sometimes over-the-top orgiastic rites practiced in pagan Rome. Its sense of extreme zealousness first appeared in the mid-17th c. Reading further about the term, the Latin root fanum is also related to the Latin festus which gives us our words feast and festival. (Not to be confused with Jerry Seinfeld's "Festivus.")

Here's a phrase I found relevant, "If you pick a truth and follow it blindly. It becomes a falsehood, and you a fanatic." — Unknown.

This is where I first heard his music: WBHM