# A Consequence of Thinking By:: [[Ross Jackson]] 2023-12-10 Ideologies are mainly impervious to attack. Attacking a person for what they think will likely only strengthen the person’s commitment to their original position. Attack promotes defense. However, ideologies are relatively weak against the power of thought. A consequence of thinking is it erodes any confidence or allegiance one has to a given ideology. Ideologies are powerful; thinking is even more so. Of course, this is all contingent on the type of thinking in which one is engaged. One can think about the ideology and be convinced one is correct, strengthening one’s commitment to the ideology. This isn’t thinking as much as it is calling to mind. The type of thinking that is dangerous to ideologies is critical thinking. Critique hits at the core of ideology and leaves little for one to admire or to which to identify. A consequence of thinking is that the only ideology one can commit is the one that humans progress through rational thought and that critique should be pursued even as one’s ideologies are dismantled one by one. Some ideological carnage along this path is rubbish deserving of the ash heap of history. People have held stupid, unjustifiable ideologies. Good riddance to these. Other ideologies are more nuanced. The loss of these is more ambiguous. However, if one is committed to an ideology of thinking, one follows its dictates to its logical conclusion. One will find only a few fellow travelers on this path. #### Related Items [[Thinking]] [[Ideology]] [[Defense]] [[Solidarity]] [[Power]]