how is culture seen as ideology

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How is culture seen as ideology? 
 
The key Marxist concept with which to understand the culture control by ‘ruling 
ideas’ is ideology. Culture is seen to contain a ruling-class ideology that is 
socialized into the consciousness of the individuals living in a society. In order to 
define ‘ideology’ we shall look at two sociologists’ consideration of the term: 
The particular conception of ideology is 
implied when the term denotes that we 
are skeptical of the ideas and 
representations advanced by our 
opponent. They are regarded as more or 
less conscious disguises of the real nature 
of a situation, the true recognition of which 
would not be in accord with his interests 
(Mannheim, 1960). 
In this view ideology consists of ideas that are purposefully incorrect. These ideas 
are used by their formulators to control others. Ideology is thus deliberately 
created by the powerful to ensure their continuing domination through the 
manipulation of others by means of false ideas: 
By ideology I mean the mental 
frameworks- the languages, the concepts, 
categories, imagery of thought, and the 
systems of representation- which different 
classes and social groups deploy in order to 
make sense of, define, figure out and 
render intelligible the way society 
works…the theory of ideology helps us to 
analyze how a particular set of ideas comes 
to dominate the social thinking of a 
historical bloc… and maintain its 
dominance and leadership over society as a 
whole. It has especially to do with the 
 
 
concepts and the languages of practical 
thought which stabilize a particular form of 
power and domination (Hall, 1996) 
In this view, different groups (the powerful and the powerless) have their own 
ideologies- their own world views- and the battle between these ideologies is a 
struggle for power. An ideology 
 
 
becomes dominant throughout society, gives people a language and rules, which 
they use to understand the world around them. Hence ideological struggle is a 
struggle over the ‘correct’ way to think.