Similarly, I don't identify as leftist, but people generally label me as such because most of my political opinions and actions converge that way.
Conversation
Replying to
if your independently-thought-out conclusions happen to overlap a lot with a particular ideology i see no problem with that
it's when people become devotees of specific ideologies that they lose the ability to arrive at conclusions outside their ideology's accepted opinions
2
1
Replying to
Also, IMO this hard and fast relationship with ideology is itself a tool of black/white-type political radicals, and I don't approve of its use.
1
2
Replying to
interesting. you're saying you've seen (destructive?) radicals who were vocally critical of ideological possession? care to elaborate? i haven't seen this. most anyone i've ever seen speaking meta-ideologically seems clear-headed, sane, helpful
8
1
Replying to
The people who are the most critical of ideological highjacking in others, IME, are themselves tightly wound in that web - and completely unaware.
1
1
Replying to
ah, i see what you mean and have observed this behavior --- interesting. one thing that's key for me is that ideologues are quick to straw-man others as being in an opposing ideological camp, but it always goes only one way and they don't speak in meta-ideological terms
3
Replying to
Sure they do. Listen to someone like Jordan Peterson. He's a fairly sophisticated thinker and has ideas not just about ideologies, but how people come to hold them.
Doesn't change the fact that he lumps people *more* reasonable than him in with extremist & radicals all the time.
1
1
Replying to
funny you bring him up. i was thinking precisely about him as a possible exception to my general rule. he talks a lot about ideological possession but does seem to have some dogmatic tendencies, though i think his worldview is too unique to categorize as a preconceived ideology
1
Replying to
A conservative with dogmatic tendencies? Now I've seen it all. :P
Agreed, but he categorizes others based on his own dogmatism, which is what I meant.
1
Replying to
haha, no, a meta-ideological person who is also in some ways dogmatic/ideologically blinded...
you're right, he does do that. his sweeping lambasting of "the bloody postmodernists" borders on conspiratorial at times
2
Replying to
Not to mention that he seems to have gotten his understanding of postmodernism mostly from reading Derrida and takedowns by art critics. LOL.