Fanaticism is at its very strongest when it has political or, better still, religious motivation.
Douglas MurrayRead
A fanatic commits to an ideal to whatever end. A fanatic throws everything aside to pursue their idea. Take something which it would be good to be committed to, like basic human rights. You might campaign for such a thing. You might spend every day of your life pursuing such a thing. But once you become fanatical about it, anything can happen.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Fanaticism can lead to extreme actions in the pursuit of an ideal, sometimes overshadowing rational thought.
Douglas Murray's quote illustrates the fine line between passionate commitment and fanaticism. While it is commendable to dedicate oneself to important causes, such as basic human rights, the danger lies in the extreme actions and irrationality that can accompany fanatic devotion. A balanced approach is essential to ensure that the quest for an ideal does not come at the expense of reason and compassion.
Themes
FanaticismCommitmentIdealsHuman RightsPassion
In practice
Example use cases
During a speech on human rights, one could highlight the need for balanced commitment versus fanaticism.
More from Douglas Murray
All quotes →A good cause need not be tarnished by its most fanatical expressions. But it is rarely helped by them.
Douglas MurrayRead
Londoners say, 'We're so proud of our diversity and tolerance,' but what if that diversity ends up making us intolerant?
Douglas MurrayRead
Similar quotes
The Faith does not mean an alienation from any culture for any people because all cultures await Christ and are not destroyed by the Lord. In fact, they reach their maturity.
Pope Benedict XviRead
You have to start out learning to believe the little lies. "So we can believe the big ones?" Yes. Justice, mercy, duty. That sort of thing.
Terry PratchettRead
When I was doing missionary work when I was younger, which started this obsession of mine with the literature of witness, I was a translator for a missionary group, and I spent years in a Tijuana dump. People were really thrown by the fact that the Mexican poor, many of them pureblood indigenous people, seemed happy.
Luis Alberto UrreaRead
We are rare and precious because we are alive, because we can think as well as we can. We are privileged to influence and perhaps control our future. I believe we have an obligation to fight for life on Earth - not just for ourselves, but for all those, humans and others, who came before us, and to whom we are beholden, and for all those who, if we are wise enough, will come after.
Carl SaganRead
In the act of tearing something apart, you lose its meaning.
Malcolm GladwellRead
Make sure that your religion is a matter between you and God only.
Ludwig WittgensteinRead