From: Lee Daniel Crocker (lcrocker@calweb.com)
Date: Sun Jul 13 1997 - 23:36:05 MDT
>> LDC:
>> Those who use the term "ideologue" as derogatory--and there are
>> many--do not oppose only those ideologies imposed by fear or used to
>> control others. They hold equal disdain for reasoned ideologies and
>> ideologies opposed to control. I have been called an ideologue in the
>> dergoatory sense more than once for being a free-speech absolutist,
>> for example.
> RH:
> I use the term "ideologue" as derogatory because it connotes for me
> people who are far more sure of their beliefs than a rational person
> should be. I also agree with Kathyrn that thinking in terms of
> "enemy" is correlated with ideologues, not to their credit.
The issue is how Richter, in the original quotation, defines it, and
how most people who say things like that define it. You, Robin, are
capable of reasoned argument, and I have no doubt that you have solid
reasons to disdain those you call "ideologues"--although you should
call them something that agrees better with a common dictionary. The
word for what you describe is "fanatic"--"ideologue" does not have the
meaning you assign to it /except/ among those like Richter, and the
fact that it has evolved that connotation is precisely because of what
I claim; that those people really do have no respect for ideology, in
its normal denotative dictionary meaning. They should not be charitably
interpreted as opposing only fanaticism, because their opposition to
ideology is dangerous and should be exposed and countered.
-- Lee Daniel Crocker <lee@piclab.com> <http://www.piclab.com/lcrocker.html> "All inventions or works of authorship original to me, herein and past, are placed irrevocably in the public domain, and may be used or modified for any purpose, without permission, attribution, or notification."--LDC
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