Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: The "ideology" thing

[Racheli Gai (racheli]

I think we're a bit off topic here, so I'll try not to go for too  
long, although I'm tempted :) --   Ideology can be rigid, or it can be  
not so rigid.
Or, people can have areas where they are flexible, and others where  
they are entrenched (because they
are over- invested emotionally, or in other ways.)  For example: If  
your livelihood depends on holding to certain
beliefs, you're less likely to be open to changing them than if you  
don't.
I think most people have some deep, strongly held beliefs that are not  
easily open to change.  Ideally, IMO, we should
be open to questioning everything, but in reality that's easier said  
than done.

An interesting book on the topic of denial was written about a decade  
ago by Stanley Cohen, who was obsessed by the question
of why so many people can ignore/deny atrocities and suffering of  
others.  The book is titled States of Denial: Knowing About
Atrocities and Suffering.
Here is a place to read a review: 
http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2001/apr/07/society.politics

During the years he lived in Israel, Cohen was one of the founders of  
the Public Committee Against Torture.  A profound article
of his appeared in TIKKUN magazine:  Cohen, S. (1991) "Talking about  
torture in Israel", Tikkun, 6(6): 23-30, 89-90


Anyway, apologies to all about the digression.
Racheli.



On Jun 6, 2011, at 3:30 PM, Wayne Tyson wrote:

> Racheli:
>
> Would it be correct, then, for me to conclude that ideology is not a  
> rigid,
> unchangeable belief, and that thinking is based on those beliefs?
>
> WT