Notes on Ideology

This week for Uni we are studying Joseph Conrads, Heart of Darkness. I story about a man who works for a Belgium trading Co. as a skipper for a paddle steamer that commutes along the Congo in late Victorian times. The original audience for the book was conservative, white, male Imperialists - at a time when Europe was 'civilizing' and colonating wild Africa. A VERY interesting read. The corresponding chapter to read today is on "Ideaology" - I find it incredibly interesting that last weekend I was protesting against War (and Bush ideology). Then today I read from "Introduction to Literature, Criticism and Theory" (3rd Ed by Andrew Bennett and Nicholas Royle)

"Ideology is the confusion of linguistic and natural reality. So, the linguistic abberations Bush's speech (e.g. "I know human beings and fish can co-exsist peacefully") may themselves be said to articulate the illogicality, vanity, evasions and sheer ignorance of disastrous environmental, foreign and welfare policies - that is to say, of a certain view of the world, of a certain ideology. "
check out: www.bushisms.com for more examples of this mans absurdity.

Ideology:
* is an imagined representation of reality
* signifies the way men live out their roles in class society, the values, ideas and images which tie them by their social functions and so prevent them from a true knowledge of society as a whole
* goes to the heart of personal identity

Ideology may be defined in terms of the obvious, in terms of common sense. It is, in the West, 'common sense' that a 'normal' subject or person is autonomous, for example, that crime is the result of induvidual actions, or that such an individual operates through rational motivation. But at the same time each of these obvious, self evident or commonsensical points disguises a very specific concept of self, an ideology. "

Wow! I am loving learning about this stuff. Its amazing how what I am learning about is directly corresponding with my experiences and conversations - hmmm, I guess its not THAT amazing, it's just that I am being more conscious. And since it is a English Literature, it goes without saying that literature is where there is conflict and difference, where beliefs, prejudices, knowledge and social structures are represented and in the process, challenged and open for transformation. Yay!

On Saturday I spent the morning talking to my Dad, who is in line with Bush ideology and then spent the afternoon (while protesting) talking to Nancy, who is in line with Marxist ideology. A very thought provoking day and all I can say is that I'm SO glad that I am even thinking about these things, being challenged, broadening my mind, learning - bring it on!! I'm evolving from being a lemming.