Ideology (n.) is a 'camera obscura' which reflects an inverted image of social reality, which is distorted and false. The truth of reality and reality as it is conceived through ideology are opposed.
Ideology (n.) is quite simply captured in the phrase: 'They do not know it, but they are doing it'. That is, it is the misrecognition of the ideology's own presuppositions, of its own effective conditions, a distance, a divergence between so-called social reality and our distorted representation, our false consciousness of it.
Ideology (n.) is a kind of thinking under whose thrall people imagine that the logic of thinking itself rules their consciousness and they are organically incapable of being aware of the social situations and of the interests which mould their mental work.
Ideology (n.) must be challanged. To do so is far more than just a call to abandon illusions about our condition. It is also a broader call to abandon a condition which requires illusions.
Ideology (n.) is the notion that forms of social consciousness prevent people from realizing that their thinking about the world is determined by some conditions which do not depend on them and which are not themselves ingredients of consciousness.
Ideology (n.) is the product of material reality and the distorted image of this reality portrayed by ideology is due to social economical conditions.
Ideology (n.) is the form of social exchange that correspond to the mode of ownership prevailing at the time.
Ideology (n.) is a justification of the rule of the ruling class under the prevailing economic system.
Ideology (n.) is a form of social exchange justifying the dominance of the ruling class.