Of the modern systems of thought which find themselves in constant competition, one system of thought stands out, as its pure indifference causes it to do more damage then the capitalist system of oppression itself; post-ideology. In its intentions, it seeks to separate itself from dogma of ideology- yet in doing so it falls into indifference and amoral applications. Its very existence implies ideology is unable to be flexible (a blatant lie, as it conflates utopianism and idealism), when in reality ideology stands at a interconnected system of systems on its function side- and in its cultural side, a system through which morality is assigned and observed. Through their removal of ideology as critical, it finds itself indifferent to the larger struggle for liberation, able to justify evils and concessions under the guise of ‘progress’- a progress which never reveals itself properly.
There is however, a distinction to be made, as post-ideology can refer to the end goal, or through the thought process through which the world is seen. This can be connected to communism, which is both an end goal and a thought process. In its end goal, communism is a stateless, moneyless, classless society. But in its thought process, it sees the world in terms of classes that need to be dissolved, the interactions between these classes, and the material inequality that can be observed. Very similarly, post-ideology can represent an end goal. That end goal manifests as a society free of ideology- where there is no longer need for ideological thought (which many refer to as ‘tribalism’, but forget pragmatism is just as prevalent). However in its thought process, post-ideology views ideology as inherent to the oppression and struggles of man, and see all existing ideologies as ‘rigid’ and ‘inadequate’.
Few self-identify as a post-ideological thinker (as to do so would mean to embrace ideology), but yet their presence can not be denied. Another term I enjoy to employ in description of post-ideological thinkers, is the term opportunists. Opportunists who play all sides through the facade of ‘progress’ (which is, in reality, a justification for oppression and authoritarianism), and gain support by speaking of their ‘independence’ and ‘non-agenda’. Of these figures, one immediately comes to mind- no other than Donald Trump, the current President of the United States of America. Although his playing of both sides does not appear on the surface, that is because he filters it through such heavy republican language that it finds itself obscured beyond recognition. But at his core, he is the epitome of post-ideological thinking. In his pursuit of power, he has ran as a Democrat, and then again as a hard-line Republican (winning twice as a Republican). He has promised ‘progressive’ tax policies to gain the favour of centrists, and then discarded them once his support was solidified.
He, and other figures (Such as Nayib Bukele, the President of El Salvador and Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia) are the result of post-ideological thought – or more accurately – a representation of what post-ideology will lead to inevitably. Without ideology, the people are not galvanized by cause, not galvanized by progress, not galvanized by action- they become mobilized through the facade of promises and the cult of personality that surrounds them. It is all too easy for one to declare they will put an end to criminal enterprise and gain support- as without a platform they must adhere to, the people can fill in the gaps of strategy with their own ideals, and project themselves into the figures. Post-ideological thinking and aspirations are naive attempts at federating policy from ideology- a task which has no reason to be taken on, as it displaces the ills of capitalism and tribalism and places it upon the realm of ideology as a whole.