PC World had a funny post about “fanboys”.  As I was reading it, I started to laugh because I actually know some people who would qualify as fanboys.  PC World has several more descriptions, take a read, and see how many people in your life you can recognize.

…every story written by professional journalists who don’t think like you are totally “teh biased”, “on the take” or “in the back pocket of [Insert your least favorite company here].” –Darren Gladstone, PC World

…you feel utter contempt not only for Mac and Windows users, but for users of any Linux distribution other than your own. –Steven Gray, PC World

…you believe that the world is divided into a force for good, as embodied in Steve (Ballmer or Jobs), and a force for evil, as embodied in Steve (Jobs or Ballmer). –Steven Gray, PC World

A few of my own definitions of a fanboy/fangirl:

• Anyone that is not able to engage in actual conversation with another human being about any topic other then their pet company or product
• People who take shorthand or vernacular from one media, like a video game, and use it in daily conversations and/or writing (this one really bugs me)

Overzealous fans are not limited to the tech world, just look at the nut jobs that obsess about Hollywood celebrities. So many people need to unplug for a while and take a serious assessment of their lives. It is crazy some of the discussions I have gotten myself into with over obsessed people. You can find the same kind of blind allegiance in extremes of both political parties. Those ones really keep me up at night. . .most people in the world need a serious vacation.