Tussen ideologie en utopie

Abstract

Although the world of ideologies is a prosaic one it does not diminish our responsibility as South Africans to critically ponder the issue, especially in our current situation. There seems to be more than one way of approaching the problem of ideologies. On the one hand one must recognise that we all have our ideologies, on the other hand we should try, by interpreting ideologies, to analyse and, if necessary, transcend our ideologies.
Some models for interpreting ideologies are briefly exposed. Attention is given to ideology as a distortion of reality and as a legitimation thereof. Ideology is compared structurally with utopia to show the similarities and to emphasise the importance of utopia for any society. Utopia is a creative power, able to provide us with an alternative. As such it criticises ideologies and stimulates society to consider alternative societal models. Different kinds of utopia are discussed.
A recourse to symbols, being a very productive approach to ideological reality, is suggested. The functioning and changing of the symbols of society are dealt with. The possibilities of an epistemologically orientated critique of ideology is examined together with the semiotic approach to ideologies. This includes the interpretation of signs and symbols.

Opsomming
Alhoewel die wereld van ideologiee vir meeste mense prosai'es voorkom, verminder dit nie ons verantwoordelikheid as Suid-Afrikaners om in ons huidige situasie krities oor die kwessie na te dink nie. Daar blyk meer as een manier te wees om die probleem van ideologiee te benader. Aan die een kant het elkeen sy ideologiee, en aan die ander kant moet ons probeer om ons eie ideologiee te analiseer en indien nodig te transendeer.
Sommige modelle wat gebruik word om ideologiee te interpreteer word kortliks bespreek. Aandag word gegee aan ideologie as verwringing en legitimering van die werklikheid. ldeologie word struktureel vergelyk met utopie om die ooreenkomste aan te dui en om die belang van utopie vir enige samelewing te beklemtoon. Utopie is 'n kreatiewe mag wat stimuleer tot interessante alternatiewe.
Utopie is ideologiekritiek en 'n stimulering vir die maatskappy om alternatiewe modelle te oorweeg. Verskillende utopiee word bespreek. Daar word teruggeval op simbole as 'n produktiewe benadering tot die ideologiese werklikheid. Die funksie en verandering van maatskaplike simbole word bespreek. Die moontlikheid van 'n epistemologies­georienteerde ideologiekritiek word ondersoek tesame met 'n semiotiese benadering tot ideologiee wat die interpretasie van tekens en simbole insluit.