Ideology is how someone sees themselves, others, and systems in society. Ideology shapes the thinking of how someone reacts to or supports these systems. It gives a basic outline of how society is as a whole and how we see the world around us, based off our own thinking, appeases, and cultural background.
In example, people of hispanic or black cultures are seen as poor, lazy and deserving of that from a conservative standpoint, but from a liberal standpoint, these cultures are seen as hard-workers making do with what they were given. This is a thought process of each social class.
I understand ideology to be a type of categorization to a certain class of people and how they contribute to society as well as how they interact within these systems of the law and within each group. I also understand ideology to influence background, the type of neighborhoods people live in, and the access or lack thereof for one as opposed to the other in regards to services and assistance. I also believe it is a broader spectrum from the social norm of race as anyone can have a conservative or liberal point of view, based on how they were influenced, growing up.
In US politics, conservative and liberal ideology are different in the aspect of what views they stand for. In example, a conservative would be more prone to a smaller government because they believe that they shouldn’t have to pay taxes to help the poor, where as someone with a liberal standpoint would agree with more assistance from the government to support their lifestyle. Also the viewpoints of the police and law enforcement, would show an equal difference between both parties because a liberal would be anti-police due to the majority being targeted by police because of their race or culture, as opposed to liberals who are less targeted by the police because of the environment/neighborhood they may or many not live in.
I understand Althusser’s definition of ideology because when we are in school we are institutionalized to be obedient or we will get detention or time out. As we get older the same principal applies, of conditioning us to know that bad behavior doesn’t get rewarded, but instead of detention, it’s jail or worse. His idea of ideology makes me understand everything we was taught conditioned us to be “model members of society.”
Ideology to me is like the glasses we wear to see the world, its our beliefs and values that shape how we understand things, for example believing everyone deserves a fair shot in life is an ideology. It guides how we think about society and fairness.
In US politics conservatives often focus on individual freedom and a smaller government role to help with social issues and equality. They might back programs for healthcare or education, the main difference is how much we rely on the government versus individual action. Althusser sees ideology as the way society teaches us how to act without us really noticing. Its about the habits and ideas we pick up from places like school or family that make us fit into the system. Its like learning to wait your turn in line, it just feels natural, but its learned behavior that keeps thing running smoothly. A repressive state apparatus (RSA) is the government’s “force” part. It uses police or military power to keep people in line like when they stop protests. It’s called “repressive” because it used control and punishment.
Ideological State Apparatuses (ISAs) are the “ideas” part. They use things like schools or media to shape our beliefs and make us accept the way things are. They persuade us rather than force us. The main difference is force versus persuasion, RSAs use physical power, ISAs use ideology and influence. For my example i think about a fancy ad for a sports car. It shows a life of success and freedom. This is an ISA working because it’s not forcing you to buy it, but it’s making you associate that car with being successful and happy, shaping your desires.
Hey Christopher! I totally agree with your explanation of ideology and how it affects the way people can see society. I liked how you mentioned that people can have different views based on their background and experiences. The example you gave about hispanic and black cultures especially stood out to me not only because I am apart of black culture but because it shows how the same group can be viewed differently depending on someone’s beliefs. I also agree that ideology can shape the way we view different social groups. Your point about neighborhood and access to services stood out to me aswell. Where someone grows up can definitely influence how they think about certain issues. I also like how you explained being conservative or liberal is not based on race! I think your post does a good job explaining how ideology shapes how people perceive the world.
Hi Christopher! I agree with your point about how schools can condition us to follow certain rules and expectations from a young age. I also think it goes beyond just teaching us what behavior is acceptable. Schools can influence how we view authority, success, responsibility, and even what we consider normal in society. I liked how you connected that to Althusser’s idea of ideology because it shows how institutions can shape the way we think without us always realizing it.