fanaticism狂热主义

In The Early Sessions Book 2, Seth gives a clear warning and definition regarding the concept of "fanaticism." He not only identifies the causes of fanaticism, but also clarifies his absolute rejection of fanatical attitudes in the conduct of the sessions, and proposes psychological and behavioral guidelines for preventing fanaticism.

First, Seth emphasizes that excessive enthusiasm is the breeding ground for fanaticism. When discussing how to treat witnesses and the progress of the sessions, Seth suggests that one should "proceed quietly and cautiously," in a steady and fairly confident manner. He states clearly: "excess enthusiasm can lead to fanaticism, and this at all costs must be avoided." ^[1]. Seth humorously remarks that he is not the "Holy Spirit" and does not demand or require vows of poverty, obedience, or chastity; his only absolute requirement is "integrity" ^[1]. Therefore, when facing other people or new things, one should not adopt an overly fervent or passionate attitude, as that would be a mistake ^[1].

Second, Seth clearly expresses his firm position that he will never advocate fanaticism regarding "the sessions themselves." He points out that people will never find him advocating withdrawal from the external world, advocating any form of prejudice, advocating any activity harmful to health, and he will never advocate fanaticism regarding the sessions themselves ^[2]. In this regard, Seth offers a very classic boundary: "Commitment yes, fanatic commitment no." ^[2]. This indicates that although the transmission and study of the material require lasting commitment and focus, such commitment must be rational and healthy, and must not degenerate into blind, exclusive fanatical worship.

Finally, Seth discusses how to avoid fanaticism and psychological imbalance from the perspective of psychological structure and interpersonal relationships. Seth points out that when a rigid, psychopathic personality suddenly obtains release through the opening of the unconscious, the rigid rock at its core can erupt into uncontrollable lava of fantasy, forcing it to confront long-buried personal divisions under the worst conditions ^[3]. In contrast, Jane and Rob, because their subconscious structures possess fluidity and flexibility, are able to sublimate these energies effectively into creative activities ^[3]. To prevent any tendency toward withdrawal or detachment from the external world, which is also a common manifestation of fanaticism, Seth advocates maintaining contact with the outside world, meeting other people, and even engaging in some positive activities ^[3].

In addition, to prevent idolatrous fanaticism from forming around the sessions and the medium, Seth explicitly refuses to turn Jane (Ruburt) or Rob (Joseph) into any kind of "holy being" beyond ordinary people. He emphasizes that they are no more holy than any other man or woman; although they possess certain abilities of perception and translation, other people also possess abilities that they do not have ^[4]. Seth does not demand groveling humility, but rather insists on "an honest, humble, and proud acceptance of one's relationship with the universe, and an acceptance of one's responsibility within it" ^[4]. This rational self-awareness is the firmest barrier against fanaticism.

In The Nature of Personal Reality, Seth explores in depth the extreme, exclusive fanaticism that arises from dogmatic beliefs and its operational mechanisms:

1. The root of fanaticism: distrust of the self and human nature Seth points out that certain philosophical and religious dogmas lead people to develop profound suspicion of their own bodies and psyches. When people try to attain some impossible "standard of perfection," failure deepens guilt, which in turn causes them to deny the natural inclinations and emotions of their own flesh and soul ^[1]. Although some people may mock the obvious fanatics who shout about "God's vengeance" and "the end of the world," they themselves may equally believe in the essential unworthiness and worthlessness of humanity, and of themselves, and focus on negative events in daily life ^[1].

2. Two extreme manifestations of exclusive beliefs Seth elaborates in detail on how such dogmatic beliefs restrict people's definition of "good" and manifest as two fanatical tendencies that appear opposite but are in fact equally paranoid:

• Conservative/traditional exclusivism: People of this type are often very devout in the traditional sense. They regard specific identities, such as a particular religion, race, wealth, and health, as God's favor, while viewing nonbelievers as inferior, and even send missionaries to "convert" them ^[2]. They feel extreme discomfort with people of different races, faiths, or skin colors, regard poverty as a sign of God's displeasure, and treat the difficulties of others with condescension ^[2].
• The reverse paranoia of the "liberal" type: Opposite to the above group is another equally paranoid system. In this system, being white, wealthy, or American is regarded as a symbol of moral decay and spiritual decline ^[3]. They romanticize the exotic, regard people of color and poverty as the standard of spiritual perfection, and even use poverty as an aggressive tool ^[3]. Seth points out that although this group considers itself correct and open-minded, its degree of paranoia is no different from that of the first group ^[3].

1. Secondary beliefs and projection mechanisms of fanatical beliefs Fanaticism and dogmatic beliefs are often accompanied by many secondary beliefs. For example, if a person accepts the basic idea that "knowledge is bad," as in a dogmatic reading of the Bible, that person will regard the pursuit of knowledge as taboo, and will therefore have to "project" wisdom onto others while rejecting it within the self, which has led historically to the separation of religious organizations such as monks and priests from ordinary humanity ^[4]. Furthermore, if one believes that violence is power and that evil is stronger than good, one will focus on violent acts and attract violence into one's personal life, thereby deepening one's fanatical beliefs ^[4].

2. Contrast with a healthy belief system Unlike the exclusivity and defensiveness of fanaticism, a person with healthy, positive beliefs, for example, someone who believes in their own basic worth and beauty, does not need to prove themselves to others. This firm belief in one's own value enables one to accommodate one's own shortcomings without feeling threatened, and at the same time makes it easier to accept and include one's contemporaries fairly, without falling into dogmatic exclusion and opposition ^[5].

In The Individual and the Nature of Mass Events, Seth offers a profound analysis of "fanaticism." He points out that fanaticism does not originate from simple evil, but from distorted idealism, and its core features are dogmatic belief, extreme exclusivity, and a fundamental distrust of personal power.

I. The psychological roots and belief characteristics of fanatics

1. Personal powerlessness and self-distrust: Fanatics essentially believe that they are powerless, and they do not trust their own ego structure, natural impulses, or ability to act effectively ^[1]. They are afraid to experience themselves as they are, and therefore seek rigid belief systems to provide rules and shelter ^[2].
2. Black-and-white dualistic thinking: Their thinking is black-and-white ^[3]. They focus intensely on the gap between the ideal and actual experience until that gap becomes the only reality, thereby forming a closed mental environment ^[4].
3. Paranoia and fear of conflicting beliefs: Fanatics are always afraid of conflicting beliefs and of systems that accommodate such beliefs, which gives them a strong paranoid tendency ^[5].

II. The interaction mechanism between fanatical sects and leaders

1. Avoidance of individuality and diffusion of responsibility: Because they are afraid to affirm their own individuality, fanatics seek a kind of "joint individuality" within the group. Through collective hysteria, they diffuse and evade responsibility for individual actions, shifting responsibility onto the group ^[6].
2. Pathological symbiosis between leader and followers: Followers expect the leader to act for them. The leader absorbs the paranoia of the followers and ultimately becomes the "victim" of this uncontrollable force, just as the followers are also "victims" of the leader ^[2].
3. Closed environment and thought control: Fanatical sects use fear as a stimulus and employ specific repetitive language to isolate members from the outside world, discourage loyalty to family and friends, and portray an outside world that is completely evil and corrupt ^[7].

III. The core destructive belief: "The end justifies the means"

1. The separation of ends and means: The most harmful belief of fanaticism is that "the end can justify the means" ^[8]. In pursuit of a so-called "greater good" or grand ideal, they believe that any base or brutal means may be adopted ^[9].
2. The trampling of the sanctity of life: Seth proposes a new commandment: "Thou shalt not kill, even in the pursuit of your ideals" ^[10]. If a person considers sacrificing life for the sake of an ideal, such as peace, scientific convenience, or medical experimentation, that person is a fanatic ^[11]. Sacrificing any life weakens respect for all life ^[12].

IV. The multiple manifestations of fanaticism

1. Religious and scientific fanaticism: Fanaticism exists not only in religion but also in science. Scientific fanatics regard their own beliefs as absolute truth and deny the value of life by declaring the universe to be a meaningless product of chance ^[13].
2. Historical and political cases:
   • The Jonestown tragedy: Idealists, because of beliefs that the world was unsafe and that they themselves were powerless, dammed up natural impulses in a closed environment, and ultimately committed suicide willingly at the leader's command ^[14].
   • Hitler: With fanatical intent, he pursued his "Aryan superiority" as a good, regarding non-Aryans as an evil that must be removed; his thinking combined the worst aspects of religious and scientific fanaticism ^[15].
   • The Watergate affair (Nixon): Nixon was a repressed idealist who believed in the ideal good, but was firmly convinced that human nature was flawed and that good people were weak, and therefore regarded the power of others as evil, ultimately moving toward fanaticism ^[16].

V. How to identify a fanatic Seth gives clear criteria for identification: If someone declares that pleasure is wrong, that tolerance is weakness, and that dogma must be obeyed blindly; if you are told that the end justifies the means, that one may kill for the sake of peace, or if you are asked to give up your free will, then you are dealing with a fanatic ^[17].