To philosophize with open eyes is to philosophize in the dark. Only the blind can look straight at the sun.
Louis AlthusserRead
It is characteristic of ideology to impose self-evident facts as self-evident facts.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Ideologies often present certain beliefs as obviously true, without questioning their validity.
In this quote, Louis Althusser highlights how ideologies can masquerade subjective beliefs as objective truths. This characteristic of ideology can make people accept certain notions without critical thinking, leading to the reinforcement of established beliefs without scrutiny or challenge.
Themes
IdeologyTruthBeliefsCritical ThinkingSubjectivity
In practice
Example use cases
During a debate about societal values, I used this quote to emphasize the need for critical analysis of widely accepted norms.
More from Louis Althusser
All quotes βOccasionally, the whole class struggle may be summed up in the struggle for one word against another word. Certain words struggle amongst themselves as enemies. Other words are the site of an ambiguity: the stake in a decisive but undecided battle
Louis AlthusserRead
Relations of production are first reproduced by the materiality of the processes of production and circulation. But it should not be forgotten that ideological relations are immediately present in these same processes.
Louis AlthusserRead
Philosophy is, in the last instance, class struggle in the field of theory.
Louis AlthusserRead
Similar quotes
There comes a moment when we all must realize that life is short, and in the end the only thing that really counts is not how others see us, but how God sees us.
Billy GrahamRead
You see, when you're middle class, you have to live with the fact that history will ignore you. You have to live with the fact that history can never champion your causes and that history will never feel sorry for you. It is the price that is paid for day-to-day comfort and silence. And because of this price, all happinesses are sterile; all sadnesses go unpitied.
Douglas CouplandRead
Worthy persons deserve to be called so because they are not carried away by the eight winds: prosperity,decline,disgrace,honor,praise,censure,suffering, and pleasure.They are neither elated by prosperity nor grieved by decline. The heavenly gods will surely protect one who is unbending before the eight winds.
NichirenRead
Que sçais-je?" (What do I know?)
Michel De MontaigneRead
The content or time-clothing of any medium or culture is the preceding medium or culture.
Marshall McluhanRead
I'm not very interested in people. I recognize it in myself - there is a basic indifference toward people.
Joan DidionRead