PokéMania and WhatMania

Some time ago, in my local area, there was a very hot contest involving two teams. Both of these teams have their loyal followers, which to an extent can be said to be their "fanatics". I wouldn't describe myself as being of either camp, essentially being called a "mania" - though I may show partial support for either of the teams - and there was always the concern that I could have been labeled as either, based on how other people see things about me. What I'm not so concerned about is showing my full support for Pokémon, perhaps to be called a "PokéMania". Insights can be drawn from this situation, especially "mania" regarding other things ("WhatMania").

Personally, I'm not too worried about showing myself as a Pokémon fan or a "mania". I have no doubt that I will remain respected for who I am, even by showing that I like Pokémon. It's something that I can use to get people to know me rather than to sharply differentiate me from other fans or "mania" of other things. Depending on those other things, I may show a certain amount of appreciation for them too, so they're things that I do not wish to be used against myself, especially if they're not all bad. Whatever "mania" that others may have, I'd prefer to see them as complementary or supplementary, rather than in opposition.

By the same token, whatever appreciation other people may have for other things and however much appreciation I have for them keeps me in check. I can't be too critical of things that are beyond my full appreciation for Pokémon, particularly if they can somehow work together. And if I develop greater appreciation for them, then I can't exactly be opposed to them; I have to make them work with whatever else I do, including with Pokémon. In any case, I'm a "PokéMania" first and foremost, while I can become "mania" of other things in different contexts and situations.

Looking at the phenomenon of the two teams, it seems it's easy to polarize people as being one or the other, as the "mania" of the respective teams. This is especially so when one may not fully understand someone. But deeper down, there may be the possibility that the "mania" is not fully one-sided. This could be considered true for my "PokéMania" with respect to other things, even though this is the aspect I prefer to show primarily and doesn't preclude my appreciation for other things - that is, being a "WhatMania".

This statement may still apply with a certain amount of discretion: "I'm a PokéMania. You're a 'WhatMania'?"

One year ago: Tournament: PTC18 Online Tournament 7
Two years ago: Costume Issues