This guest episode features the psychiatrist Dr. Torben Bergland on the topic of fanaticism. What is fanaticism? How prevalent is it? What are the best angles to explore it? Is it a matter of cognitive closure or a type of psychopathology? If neither, then what is it? Could the concept be wielded as powerplay where others, simply by virtue of being different than us, get labeled so? How is it related to the post-truth phenomenon? Are there positive aspects of fanaticism? If by definition one is not aware of one's own fanatical tendencies, how can individuals ever become aware of those?... These are but some of the issues that Ante and Oliver probe with their guest.CONNECT WITH USEmailWebsite* * * * * NEW TO THE PODCAST?In this podcast, we engage in free-ranging conversations on life, faith, philosophy, ethics, relationships, culture, experience, and all matters existential. As the show title points out, we approach these things "in the middle of things" by grabbing hold of them unsystematically and provisionally. Concerning "about us," we are friends and verbal sparring partners who also happen to be colleagues at Andrews University. - Oliver Glanz and Ante Jerončič