So, we’ve encountered three different overviews of what ideology is, but let’s organize our own thinking about it. In this discussion board, think about and comment on the following questions:
1. Keeping in mind the material covered in this lesson, describe how you understand ideology in your own words.
Hint: One way to approach this is as follows
a) Describe what ideology is in a brief paragraph (in your own words).
b) Give an example illustrating what you wrote in (a).
c) Write another paragraph (or two), explaining to your reader with additional details, how you understand ideology.
2. How do you understand the difference between conservative and liberal ideology in US politics? What seem to be the big differences, the dividing line? Given an example to backup your arguments.
Hint: try to identify key words (concepts) that play a big role in making someone consider themselves to be liberal or conservative. Then, explain in your own words what those keywords (concepts) mean.
3. How do you understand Althusser’s definition of ideology? Paraphrase it in your own words. Given an example. Hint: you may have to watch the second video again, and find the few places where Althusser’s position is presented.
Hint: Remember, the discussion boards are crucial for us this semester, because they reproduce our in-class conversations. Try to be thorough and write more, rather than less. I will do the same, and make sure by the time we end our discussion, we have covered the key ideas on the module.
To organize things better, I have broken up our conversation into two parts. After finishing here, head over to Discussion Board 3 – part 2 .
Before posting, watch this video, which will show you how to post your answer to this discussion board:
NOTE: Once you’ve scheduled your post to be published on at midnight on Sunday, you can still go back and edit your post until then, if you want to rewrite and/or add to your post.
As a review, follow the following steps to submit your response:
- Click on the “+” button in the black bar at the top of the screen
- Type a title for the post (it should include your full name)
- Type your response
- On the right side, click on Categories: and check “Discussion 3.1”
- Important: On the right side, at the top: click on the date next to Publish, and enter your post date, which is this coming Sunday, at 11:59pm.
- Click Publish and you’re done.
What will happen next is your post will automatically be published by the OpenLab system on Sunday at midnight. The goal here is for all student posts to be published at the same deadline. After that point, you can begin reading each others’ posts, and you have to comment on at least one other student’s post.
Note: please make sure that you schedule your post to be published on Sunday, midnight, not before.
Task #1
A)
In my opinion, ideology is classified as a way of thinking that a person as an individual or a group of people accepts as a norm, and they together share similar beliefs, values, and ideas. It can also serve as a form of identification. Ideology may also be expressed as a way of behavior in which we follow specific patterns that rule the actions and decisions we make. The ideology gives us an opportunity of belonging and could serve as a devisal factor to society.
B)
I will use radicalism as an example that serves my description and understanding of what ideology is. Radicalism is a belief in which society and its followers trust that society, needs a change and those changes are only possible through revolutionary changes that are the only way of transforming the direction in which the society is going.
C)
Personally, I also view ideology as a form of control. Because of its structure in which people express approbate and affiliation to a specific set of beliefs, as they are modified by its creators it might impact further decisions of certain induvial. Knowledge of beliefs and ways of action that certain ideology believers follow allows a third person to adjust its tactics to influence that group or gain favor from their side, for this reason, I also understand ideology as a form of control.
Task #2
Conservative and liberal ideologies are located on two opposite sides which makes them different from each other in of the meaning of beliefs and the general set of rules they are following. Liberals are the “left” and conservatives are the “right”. Conservatives believe that the best system is the one in which government is as small as possible that is run by states and localities, and less regulated. When liberals tend to follow more regulatory system that provides more universal help for their citizens.
Another important difference is both parties’ economic views. Liberals are supporters of giving help to people who are the poorest and the ones whose income is high should relevantly pay more taxes. The Conservative party prefers government that would spend less money (on social help) and also keep taxes low. They do not follow government support programs for low-income individuals.
Social views of both sides express the major values they follow. Conservative tend to follow “old” trends and beliefs without the willingness to progress, they are not supporters of gay marriages and abortion that is strongly rooted in religious reasons they have developed in the past. They identify as proponents of gun ownership and personal responsibility for it. Liberals are supporters of equality rights not only in matter of marriage but workplace, they believe that abortion is a choice of each individual that should not be banned. They work on implementing important gun control regulations that are meant to limit access to individuals.
Task #3
We are learning to obey and this is the main power of ideology. Louis Althusser defined that what makes people act against their interests is fear. He marked the role of schools as the most crucial part of the ideology system.
“no other Ideological State Apparatus has the obligatory audience of the totality children in the capitalist social formation, eight hours a day five or six days” (Althusser). The values being thought are discipline, following the line, and preventing rebellion. All of these values are governed by authorities that serve as a form of fear. Violence or punishment are the tools that are being used that you are trying to avoid thus you follow the rules and obey.
Althusser believes that in the school system teachers are not the ones to blame, they are just a part of it that is controlled by the higher institutions under which they must obey as well. Interpellation, being punished is also a part of the system of ideology.
He also refers to a behavior in which a rule can be changed, punishment avoided only if you access another authority that governs the rule; “if you know the judge”, “if you can afford the fine.”
Ideology is meant to keep people under control, in a place in which all actions are governed and controlled so the society can be predictable and disciplined.