The PLEA: Curb Your Fanaticism

There’s nothing wrong with believing in ideas. But there are limits. Sometimes, ideas become singular truths. And singular truths become indisputable doctrines. When people tip into a world of excessive and uncritical faith, they tip into a world of fanaticism.

What does it mean to say that someone is a fanatic? Are all fanatics necessarily bad? Are we at risk of becoming fanatics ourselves? What can happen if fanatics get their hands on the levers of power?

This issue of The PLEA asks these questions, illustrated by a selection of fanatical movements from the 20th century. Ideal for most any reader, Curb Your Fanaticism fulfills several objectives in Saskatchewan’s Social Studies 30 curriculum.