Marx and Althusser have vast differences on what they view as ideology. Marx views ideology as a thinking that takes people away from the actual world. He criticizes people that focus on ideology rather the real object and situations around them, saying that just changing your beliefs does not change the way the world works. He uses the gravity story as an example. Althusser says that ideology is all around us and is inescapable. He seems to agree with Marx that we must focus the real world aspect of our life as well as our consciousness, but he also adds that it is improbable to reject ideology all together. Althusser argues that even though Marx is so against ideology, he creates his own ideology in his writings. Althusser says that ideology incases everything from family to school to politics and more. He says we need these ideological systems to interact with the physical world around us.
In his writing Altusser claims that school is a central Ideological State Apparatus. I do have to agree with him on this statement. Schools give people the opportunity to learn about different subject or aspects of the world around them. Whether it be history, math or science, these subjects, or as Althusser would say ideologies, will help students with their ability to create their own mean of production when the enter the "real world". Also, since a majority of a kid's day is spent in school, students learn social skills and cultural behaviors which shape them to the ideological beliefs of the world around them. We learn in school to be respectful while other people are talking among many other things. Its an environment in which kids learn these rules naturally and on their own.
With your first statement, I found what you said about Marx making his own ideologies based on his hate for ideologies to be really interesting and true. He's so against them that he's in the midst of creating his own ideologies against ideologies. Super ironic.
ReplyDeleteIn your second statement, I also agree with you. In school we are taught certain values (social norms, cultural behaviors, like you mentioned) that the state supports. You mentioned that kids learn these rules naturally, such as through influence from other kids and by example of adults, and I would have to agree with that as well.
These are great points. I want to discuss your observation that Marx introduces new ideological concepts in his essay despite his materialistic views on human existence. If we take this one step further, we might wonder if it is even possible to discuss or think about society and social life without being ideological in our thinking. Isn’t philosophy an ideological concept naturally? To be a philosopher is to attempt to change the way people think about the world by expressing [abstract] ideas and theories about life through thought and writing, is it not?
ReplyDeleteSchool is a great example of an ISA. If we consider this class (the Rhetoric of Everyday Life) specifically, we would find that many of the things we learn on a daily basis are ideological skills, i.e. philosophical understanding and critical thinking. In my opinion, Althusser makes a valid and convincing argument that (for me, personally) provides some insight into the way the world works.
Great discussion points, all! Let's look at some of these issues in today's class.
ReplyDeleteGreat discussion points, all! Let's look at some of these issues in today's class.
ReplyDelete