On Marx, Idealism, Ideology, Integrity and Character

In a Marxian sense, there is a very critical difference between 'idealism' and 'ideology'.

'Idealism' pertains to the values that a person professes to believe in.

However, Marx, probably more than any other philosopher in Western history could and did see through man's hypocrisy -- the internal lack of congruence between a person's professed idealism and the true underlying nature and extent of their individual and/or collective narcissism.

Thus, Marx created a second concept -- 'ideology' -- to account for this idealistic/ideological hypocrisy and the true underlying narcissism in his nature.

Thus, the name that Marx used to account for this human hypocrisy between 'professed belief' and 'real belief' was -- 'ideology'. Ideology represents a person's/politician's/businessman's professed set of beliefs but not his real set of beliefts. To get to his real set of beliefs, Marx believed that you had to cut through a person's professed and hypocritical ideology to get to their real underlying narcissism -- especially, in his eyes, as it was/is exasperated by Capitalism.

Little did Marx know or realize that two of the worst examples of human ideology and hypocrisy at its worst would be played out by two of the most anti-humanistic, anti-Capitalist leaders in the history of man -- Lenin and Stalin.

Thus, hypocrisy and hypocritical ideology has nothing to do with Capitalism -- although the two are often found hand in hand. Rather, hypocrisy and hypocritical ideology is more connected to the wish to hide human/government/corporate/individual narcissism -- and the wish to hide human narcissism is not limited to what set of economic and/or political and/or religious beliefs you believe in -- whether this be of Capitalist, Socialist, Communist, Conservative, Liberal, Republican, Democrat, Protestant, Catholic, Muslim, and/or Jewish perspective.

Human narcissism and hypocrisy -- like a very sharp knife -- cuts through any and all human perspectives -- and ideologies...

Thus, much of the congruence, honesty, and integrity of a person can be judged by the degree to which his or her professed beliefs and values can be seen and experienced by himself/herself, and/or others as matching with the real idealistic beliefs that the person actually lives his or her life by -- or doesn't.

When idealism matches ideology and demonstrated action -- you have a congruent, honest person who is living her or her life with integrity and ethical/moral transparency.

When idealism does not match ideology and demonstrated action -- well then, we still have some significant work to do to improve the integrity of our character.

And when this hypocrisy and hypocritical idealism/ideology is serious enough -- well then, we deserve to be called an ethical fraud.

-- dgb, July 12th, 2008.