Ideology

We all know people—including, perhaps, ourselves in certain contents or at certain times—who seem just a little too attached to their opinions about politics, economics, social affairs or whatever. "A little too attached" is not exactly a precise term, but there's definitely a difference between "here's my best guess at understanding the world, though I reserve the right to change my mind if/when additional or new information come to my attention" and "I know for certain that this is the way the world works and that's all there is to it."

Is it reasonable to define the holders of those two opinions respectively as "interested observer/interpreter" and "ideologue?"

Perhaps.

A friend sent me the following quote this morning, which helps me understand why the ideologue's arguments have a zeal and determination that I never seem quite able to match.

One might say that ideology is the construction and presentation of mirrors to meet certain predetermined purposes, none of which is  the valid self-understanding of the viewer.

Alan Jacobs