Question

1. Answer the following questions a. Why is it so hard for people to give up on an ideology? b. How can I change your expectations?

Answer 1

Answer:--

The Definition of Ideology and the Theories Behind It
Understanding the Concept and Its Relationship to Marxist Theory

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[The view through a smartphone camera symbolizes the definition of ideology.]
Yiu Yu Hoi/Getty Images
by Nicki Lisa Cole, Ph.D.
Updated June 27, 2017

Ideology is the lens through which a person sees the world. Within sociology, ideology is broadly understood as referring to the worldview a person has that is the sum total of their culture, values, beliefs, assumptions, common sense, and expectations for themselves and of others. Ideology gives an identity within society, within groups, and in relation to other people. It shapes our thoughts, actions, interactions, and what happens in our lives and in society at large.

It is a very important concept within sociology and a core aspect of what sociologists study because it plays a fundamental and powerful role in shaping social life, how society, as a whole, is organized, and how it functions. Ideology is directly related to the social structure, economic system of production, and political structure. It both emerges out of these things and shapes them.

Ideology the Concept versus Particular Ideologies

Often, when people use the word "ideology" they are referring to a particular ideology rather than the concept itself. For example, people, especially in the media, often refer to extremist views or actions as being inspired by a particular ideology or as "ideological," like "radical Islamic ideology" or "white power ideology." And, within sociology, much attention is often paid to what is known as the dominant ideology, or the particular ideology that is most common and strongest in a given society.

However, the concept of ideology itself is actually general in nature and not tied to one particular way of thinking. In this sense, sociologists define ideology generally as a person's worldview and recognize that there are various and competing ideologies operating in a society at any given time, some more dominant than others.