Ideological Fixation: From the Stone Age to Today's Culture Wars

People are unable to accept claims about reality from the opposite ideological camp, no matter how valid they may be, due to ideological divides and clashes. This book explores the deeper roots of this inability, combining insights from evolutionary psychology with a broad sweep through history. It argues that ideological fixation is the result of tensions and conflicts between ideologies' factual claims and their normative commitment and proceeds from the Stone Age to the rise of civilization, the great religions, and modernity, to a critique of fundamental factual premises that underlie some of the major debates dominating today's liberal democracies, not least the United States.

Format: Hardback
Length: 360 pages
Publication date: 09 December 2022
Publisher: Oxford University Press Inc

Combining insights from evolutionary psychology with a broad sweep through history, down to the ideological civil war ripping the United States apart, the book explores the deeper roots of people's inability to accept claims about reality which come from the opposite ideological camp, no matter how valid they might be. After theorists around 1960 proclaimed the death of ideology, ideological divides and clashes have reemerged with renewed intensity throughout the world. In the United States, they have become particularly venomous. Each side in America's escalating ideological civil war charges the other with concocting "fake news" and "alternative facts." The other side is widely viewed as malicious, irrational, or downright stupid, and, often, as barely legitimate. People are deaf to claims about reality that come from the opposite camp, no matter how valid they might be. The zeal of the opposing sides is often scarcely less than that which characterized the religious ideologies of old. Indeed, historical religious ideologies have largely been replaced by secular religions or religion substitutes. Ideology consists of normative prescriptions regarding how society should be shaped, together with an interpretive roadmap indicating how this normative vision can be implemented in reality. Ideological Fixation is the result of tensions and conflicts between these two elements. The book focuses on ideologies' factual claims about the world, typically subordinate to, and often distorted by, their normative commitment. In exploring this phenomenon, the book combines insights from evolutionary psychology regarding the nature of some of our deepest proclivities with a broad sweep through history and around the world. It proceeds from the Stone Age to the rise of civilization, the.

Introduction:
In an increasingly polarized world, where political and social divisions seem to grow deeper by the day, it is crucial to understand the underlying factors that contribute to ideological conflicts. Combining insights from evolutionary psychology with a comprehensive historical analysis, this book aims to explore the deeper roots of people's inability to accept claims about reality that come from the opposite ideological camp, no matter how valid they might be.

The Decline of Ideology:
After theorists around 1960 proclaimed the death of ideology, ideological divides and clashes have reemerged with renewed intensity throughout the world. However, in the United States, these conflicts have become particularly venomous, with each side in the escalating ideological civil war charging the other with concocting "fake news" and "alternative facts." The other side is widely viewed as malicious, irrational, or downright stupid, and, often, as barely legitimate.

The Zeal of Opposing Sides:
The zeal of the opposing sides in America's ideological civil war is often scarcely less than that which characterized the religious ideologies of old. Indeed, historical religious ideologies have largely been replaced by secular religions or religion substitutes. The intensity of the opposing sides' beliefs and convictions is driven by a deep-seated need to defend their worldview and maintain their social status.

Deafness to Opposing Claims:
People are deaf to claims about reality that come from the opposite camp, no matter how valid they might be. This deafness is rooted in a variety of factors, including cognitive biases, social norms, and cultural conditioning. Cognitive biases, such as confirmation bias and the availability heuristic, can lead people to ignore evidence that contradicts their beliefs, while social norms and cultural conditioning can reinforce ideological divisions and prevent people from considering alternative perspectives.

The Roots of Ideological Fixation:
Ideological Fixation is the result of tensions and conflicts between the normative prescriptions of ideology and the interpretive roadmap that indicates how these prescriptions can be implemented in reality. When these two elements are not aligned, ideological fixation can occur, leading people to become entrenched in their beliefs and unable to consider alternative viewpoints.

The Role of Evolutionary Psychology:
In exploring the phenomenon of ideological fixation, the book combines insights from evolutionary psychology regarding the nature of some of our deepest proclivities with a broad sweep through history and around the world. Evolutionary psychology suggests that our cognitive and emotional systems are designed to promote survival and reproduction, and that our beliefs and behaviors are shaped by the environment in which we live.

Conclusion:
In conclusion, the book explores the deeper roots of people's inability to accept claims about reality that come from the opposite ideological camp, no matter how valid they might be. The zeal of the opposing sides in America's ideological civil war is often scarcely less than that which characterized the religious ideologies of old. By combining insights from evolutionary psychology with a comprehensive historical analysis, the book provides a valuable contribution to our understanding of the factors that contribute to ideological conflicts and the challenges we face in navigating a polarized world.

Weight: 622g
Dimension: 243 x 166 x 28 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780197646700