{"id":41706,"date":"2025-04-17T15:19:08","date_gmt":"2025-04-17T22:19:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/?p=41706"},"modified":"2025-04-17T15:32:07","modified_gmt":"2025-04-17T22:32:07","slug":"a-reflection-on-modern-ideologies-and-their-impact","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/a-reflection-on-modern-ideologies-and-their-impact\/","title":{"rendered":"A Reflection on Modern Ideologies and Their Impact"},"content":{"rendered":"

What About Modern Ideologies?\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

A few years ago, a rumor circulated that schools were placing litter boxes in bathrooms to accommodate students who identified as furries<\/em>[1]<\/a>. I wasn\u2019t living in the United States at the time, so I didn\u2019t track how it all unfolded. Whether true or not, it\u2019s telling that public discourse was stirred by a topic like this. The fact that news involving furries<\/em> and litter boxes in schools\u2014or anything equally bizarre\u2014says a great deal about the cultural moment we\u2019re living through.<\/span><\/p>\n

We inhabit a postmodern narrative that often elevates the fluidity of identity and dismisses the notion of objective truth. In such a context, arguments made by individuals who self-identify as furries<\/em> and advocate for accommodations like litter boxes (again, whether fact or fiction, the example serves a purpose) don\u2019t seem as implausible as they once might have. This reflects a broader cultural shift toward relativism<\/em>\u2014where truth is no longer grounded in anything fixed, but is instead shaped by personal perception. The rise of phrases like \u201cthis is my truth\u201d epitomizes the mindset of our time, where the rejection of universal truth in favor of subjective experience opens the door for nearly any claim to gain traction, regardless of how disconnected it may be from reality.<\/span><\/p>\n

Modern ideologies\u2014Postmodernism, Neoliberalism, Identity Politics, Environmentalism and Climate Change Activism, Populism (to name a few)\u2014are constantly evolving. They overlap, fracture, and re-emerge in new forms, making them difficult to keep pace with or fully understand. I won\u2019t attempt to unpack each one here, as that falls beyond the scope of this reflection. But I\u2019m convinced that at their core, many of these ideologies are rooted in a reimagined\u2014and ultimately distorted\u2014understanding of liberty<\/em>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Patrick Deneen contrasts ancient and modern liberty, describing the former as a form of just and appropriate rule\u2014freedom ordered toward virtue. He notes, \u201cThis liberty, the ancients understood, was subject to misuse and excess: the oldest stories in our tradition, including the story of humankind\u2019s fall from Eden, told of the human propensity to use freedom badly.\u201d[2]<\/a> He goes on to lament how modern liberty, rather than imparting the wisdom of the past to cultivate self-restraint and civility, \u201cbecomes synonymous with hedonic titillation, visceral crudeness, and distraction, all oriented toward promoting consumption, appetite, and detachment.\u201d[3]<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

As I reflect on the modern ideologies shaping our time, Pilate\u2019s mocking question to Jesus\u2014’What is truth?’\u2014echoes in my mind. And today, we answer: \u2018Whatever we want it to be.\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n

My Convictions Confirmed<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

“In The Parasitic Mind: How Infectious Ideas are Killing Common Sense<\/em>, Saad confirms that \u201cthese [infectious ideas] are composed of thought patterns, belief systems, attitudes, and mindsets that parasitize one\u2019s ability to think properly and accurately.\u201d[4]<\/a> Ultimately, we have abandoned reason. Saad argues that these idea pathogens have permeated and taken control of academia, government, corporations, the media, and society at large. The result is a growing tendency to base judgments about truth not on reason, but on emotion.<\/span><\/p>\n

While Saad acknowledges that both emotions and reason are essential for decision-making, he argues, \u201cThe problem arises when domains that should be reserved for the intellect are hijacked by feelings.\u201d[5]<\/a> Haidt echoes this by asserting, \u201cThe head can\u2019t even do head stuff without the heart.\u201d[6]<\/a> He also describes the Jeffersonian dual-processing<\/em> model[7]<\/a>, where emotions and moral reasoning operate as separate processes\u2014each capable of making moral judgments independently, sometimes competing for dominance.<\/span><\/p>\n

Philosopher Stephen Hicks adds that post modernist thinking claims, \u201cReason is artificial and dehumanizing\u2014 and that one\u2019s feelings and passions are better guides than reason.\u201d[8]<\/a> Saad sees this ideological shift as deeply concerning, warning that, \u201cPolitical tribalism fueled by emotional indignation superseded logic, science, and reason.\u201d[9]<\/a> If we continue to elevate emotion over reason in the realms that demand clear thinking, we risk losing our ability to engage with intellectual integrity, think critically, and solve problems that require more than just how we feel. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

My Convictions Challenged<\/strong><\/p>\n

Although I found many of Saad\u2019s arguments compelling, I struggled with the harshness of his tone\u2014particularly in how he addresses the acknowledgment of historical injustices. He uses the term ideological self-flagellation<\/em> to describe what he believes progressives view as the only acceptable path to redemption for privileged white Westerners: atoning for the perceived sin of not having been born poor or non-white in the developing world. He writes, \u201cThey [white Westerners] must atone for the sin of not having been born poor persons of color in the third world; thus, they might seek penance in a form of ideological self-flagellation.\u201d[10]<\/a> While I understand Saad\u2019s critique of the damaging effects of collective self-loathing, particularly among Westerners, I am equally convinced that a posture of humility and acknowledgment of historical harm is essential. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Graham English captures this balance well in his blog post Let\u2019s Not Go Back to Year Zero<\/em>:<\/span><\/p>\n

As a pastor, I have encountered individuals who bear the emotional scars of growing up in these brutal environments. I have met people who were forcibly removed from their families during the 1960s and placed in Caucasian homes\u2026Indigenous elders have recounted stories of their people receiving blankets intentionally infected with smallpox, aimed at causing harm. The history and the wounds are real, and Canadian history should not be interpreted in such an insensitive<\/span> manner.<\/span>[11]<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

For English, repentance and a willingness to confess personal and cultural bias are necessary steps toward healing. As a follower of Jesus, this approach resonates more deeply with me than Saad\u2019s sharp rejection of what he calls ideological self-flagellation<\/em>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In reflecting on modern ideologies and the growing tendency to prioritize emotion over reason, I am reminded of the warning in Judges 21:25: \u201cEveryone did what was right in his own eyes.\u201d As we navigate our complex cultural landscape, it\u2019s vital that we resist the temptation to define truth and justice based solely on personal perception or emotion. Instead, we must strive to uphold reason, humility, and accountability, grounding our understanding in a deeper, objective framework.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

[1]<\/a> Furries are people who enjoy anthropomorphic animal characters\u2014animals with human traits like talking or walking upright. Many participate in a creative fandom where they design original characters (called fursonas<\/em>), create art or stories, and sometimes wear costumes (fursuits<\/em>). It\u2019s a community focused on imagination, self-expression, and connection.<\/span><\/p>\n

[2]<\/a> Patrick J. Deneen,\u00a0Why Liberalism Failed<\/em>\u00a0(Politics and Culture; New Haven: Yale University Press, 2018), 115, Kindle Edition.<\/span><\/p>\n

[3]<\/a> Patrick J. Deneen,\u00a0Why Liberalism Failed<\/em>, 39, Kindle Edition.<\/span><\/p>\n

[4]<\/a> Gad Saad, The Parasitic Mind: How Infectious Ideas Are Killing Common Sense<\/em> (New York: Skyhorse Publishing, 2021), 17, Kindle Edition.<\/span><\/p>\n

[5]<\/a> Gad Saad, The Parasitic Mind,<\/em> 27, Kindle Edition.<\/span><\/p>\n

[6]<\/a> Jonathan Haidt, The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion<\/em> (New York: Pantheon Books, 2012), 41.<\/span><\/p>\n

[7]<\/a> In contemporary discussions, “Jeffersonian dual processing” might refer to how people navigate complex information by balancing logical reasoning with personal values, passions, and emotional responses, especially in a political or democratic context.<\/span><\/p>\n

[8]<\/a> Stephen R. C. Hicks,\u00a0Explaining Postmodernism: Skepticism and Socialism from Rousseau to Foucault<\/em>\u00a0(Expanded Edition; Ockham\u2019s Razor, 2011), 197, Kindle Edition.<\/span><\/p>\n

[9]<\/a> Gad Saad, The Parasitic Mind,<\/em> 33, Kindle Edition.<\/span><\/p>\n

[10]<\/a> Gad Saad, The Parasitic Mind,<\/em> 116, Kindle Edition.<\/span><\/p>\n

[11]<\/a> Graham English, \u201cLet\u2019s Not Go Back To Year Zero,\u201d Doctor of Leadership in Global Perspectives: Crafting Ministry in an Interconnected World<\/em>, February 13, 2025, https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/lets-not-go-back-to-year-zero\/<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

What About Modern Ideologies?\u00a0 A few years ago, a rumor circulated that schools were placing litter boxes in bathrooms to accommodate students who identified as furries[1]. I wasn\u2019t living in the United States at the time, so I didn\u2019t track how it all unfolded. Whether true or not, it\u2019s telling that public discourse was stirred […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":208,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[3463,2967],"class_list":["post-41706","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-saad","tag-dlgp03","cohort-dlgp03"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41706","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/208"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=41706"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41706\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":41714,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41706\/revisions\/41714"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=41706"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=41706"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=41706"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}