Melinda (and all),
Actually, I find the perspective you argue here neither
simplistic nor pessimistic. I think the perspective you
argue--that all belief systems result in winners and
losers--helpfully brings the attention to this key aspect of
beliefs--that they're never simply "neutral" but rather
connected with real social practices.
One way of describing our crisis at this particular moment
in history is: how exactly do we justify our belief
systems? Some groups within North America try to justify
their own legislating of social issues under rubrics like
"God," "Christianity," and "nature"--since I'm gay, I'm
thinking particularly of social legislation in the name of
"family values."
The opposing perspective argues more for "rationality" along
the more Habermasian lines you suggest--the rational
administration of society through the toleration of
diversity. This tends to be the way cultural texts like
films can be taught in a university context--and I include
myself here.
One question about ideology (to get back to the original
topic) would be: can the view which finds belief systems
inherently unfair and which hence urges toleration itself be
said to be "ideological"?
A critique (an ideological critique?) of this latter
perspective, however, would point out its limits: the
exclusion of NAMBLA (the North American Man-Boy Love
Association) from gay 'pride' parades always strikes me as a
blatant example. Gays can be tolerated, but only if they
police themselves to exclude what is taken to be 'beyond the
pale.'
The issue of gays having sex in public places would be
another, and the media coverage of George Michaels' arrest
not long ago would make an interest text to be analyzed in
precisely these terms. A scene in last year's _There's
Something About Mary_ which makes a joke about men having
sex in public would be an interesting mass culture text to
analyze in this context: precisely what is humorous about
this scene? Is the film 'liberal' in allowing sex-in-public
to be represented, or regressive in making it an object of
fun?
The object of this latter critique would be precisely the
difference between public and private, since it is the
liberal defense within the public sphere of privacy which is
the (contradictory, self-divided) lynchpin of the liberal
perspective.
And I agree completely that scientific method is not itself
non-ideological: I just wanted to pick a very loaded
example.
Of course, the fact that we can have this thoughtful
discussion gives one some hope for the Habermasian
perspective!
Sincerely,
Edward R. O'Neill
UCLA
Melinda M. Schwenk wrote:
>
> I don't want to seem too simplistic or too pessimistic, but I think all
> belief systems result in winners and losers. Our minds allow for
> distinctions, evaluation, preferences -- all of which we - individually and
> in larger social systems - try to justify as godly, natural, or rational.
> So, all assumptions and beliefs are ideological. We can never get out of
> ourselves to completely understand how our own beliefs are unfair, but we
> can gain a sense of perspective about the constructedness of our beliefs,
> which may lead to greater social tolerance of difference. And, of course,
> belief systems are not very stable these days or very consistent, so we
> have the "benefit" of competing ideological views. I've never seen a
> completely fair and just belief system, and about the best I think we can
> do is to embrace uncertainty and deal with the inherent inequities of every
> ideology on a case by case basis. But, surely, we can see how this stance
> would not work for many people.
>
> To answer this question: "Namely, what kind of assumptions are
> "ideological"? (Are assumptions about what constitutes "scientific method"
> ideological?) Why are some beliefs ideological and not
> others?" I would say that all beliefs are ideological, especially the
> scientific method! Assumptions of rationality and objectivity are
> particularly suspect, don't you think?
>
> All the best, Melinda Schwenk
>
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