From Preference to Militant Support--the 6 to 10 scale

One of the fun features of facebook is the ability to register as a "fan" of various teams, causes, groups and individuals. But for some reason last week, I was feeling a bit dissatisfied about the on-or-off nature of such a choice. After all, there are things and groups I'm much more devoted to than others, and so I suggested an alternative--a three-level expression of fan-ness ranging from "fan" to "advocate" to "militant supporter."

While facebook has yet to adopt this suggestion, the conversation on this subject with my facebook friends yielded a further refinement--a scale starting at 6 and ending at ten that covers the full range of support:

6-would generally prefer it to competitors
7-consider it part of one's identity
8-would actively recommend to others
9-would defend its honor in an argument, or perhaps, a fist-fight
10-would start a fist-fight on its behalf (if the situation warranted)

In most categories, I have but one entry. For sports teams, my criteria is slightly more relaxed--teams which generally don't play each other can be added.

6: Burger King (global fast food), Ajax (Dutch soccer), Star Alliance (airline alliance), Starwood Hotels, Lonely Planet (travel guides), Vlasic (pickles), Cattleman's BBQ sauce, Calve chunky peanut butter, Louisiana Brand hot sauce, Arkansas Razorbacks (college sports team-US South), Caramel/Toffee/Dulce de Leche, Klene Suikervrije Visjes (licorice), Canadian Club (whisky)

7. Chicago Cubs (baseball), The Economist, Turkish Coffee, Eurostar (trans-channel train service), Sharp Cheddar, Limes, DC United (MLS Soccer), KimChee (Korean equivalent of sauerkraut), CCM (association of communication pros), Magret de Canard (duck breast-favorite French meal)

8. University of Wisconsin (university, sports teams), Belgian Beer, easyJet (European budget airline), Democratic Party (US), Cocktail Sauce (US condiment), Pastrami (favorite delicatessen meal), Prime Rib (favorite steakhouse meal), Iskender Kebab (favorite Turkish meal)

9. Tottenham Hotspur (English Soccer), Liberal Judaism, US Men's National Soccer Team (international soccer), Belgium (favorite country to live in), President Barack Obama, Landmark Education (kick-ass education and training programs), Reproductive Freedom/Abortion Rights, The Pigs (favorite species)

10. Israel, Health Care Reform (US), London Business School

What I found most interesting in looking at things this way is that it gave me an ability to compare my various favorites across categories. I'm about as much of an Obama fan as I am a Spurs fan--would defend their respective honor, but also occasionally moan about various on-field mistakes. It also reflects some personal evolution--while I love the University of Wisconsin, it's the Tottenham results I look for first these days.

The fist-fight distinction is also a bit aspirational--I haven't actually been in any fist fights since university, my last attempt being at a Young Republicans convention in 1992 which preceded my switch to the Democrats by two months. But it still crystalizes a level of support that goes well beyond mere preference or 'fandom'.

Please have a gander at this--and include your own ratings in the comments below!