"You're sad, you are!"

[Morthoron]

Originally Posted by radagastly

But your point about perspective is well taken. What is the difference, really, between putting on a Hobbit outfit for a convention of some kind, or a movie premier, and donning a Cheese-head at Lambeau Field. Both are costumes that invoke enthusiasm for that particular passion.

I should mention here that as a Wisconsinite, I have done both, and frozen my butt off at the second.

If its a hobby or a 'passion', and said passion does not harm others or oneself, then it is a natural part of humanity; however, when passion descends into obsession then the are dangers present. For instance, gambling can prove horrible if a vice becomes an addiction, or something as innocuous as an online RP game (like WoW or EverQuest) can present real-life problems for those who become obsessed (I know cases where people have become so addicted to the games they've lost their jobs and gotten divorces -- they didn't call EverQuest EverCrack for nothing). Then there's the irrational folks who stalk stars in order to live out some deluded fantasy.