There’s a Dutch saying that translates like the shore will stop the ship (ie, #16). There’s no English equivalent. To some extent, it means that you can only push someone or things so far before they break (eg, source). I was reminded of this saying after reading that the GOP in Alabama ignores court rulings.
My blog title has an implicit question: Is reality (eg, shore) stronger than ideology (eg, ship) ??
I suppose that the Alabama GOP assumes that they can keep amending Congressional maps (a.k.a. redistricting) until those electoral districts have become “white” (a.k.a. whitewashing). What is stronger in Alabama: ideology (ie, districts are “white”) or reality (ie, racial demographics) ??
Another example is an incel, which is an abbreviation for an involuntary celibate person. The adjective involuntary is part of their ideology. As a man, I doubt the reality of their celibacy claims. In reality, those men appear to be mostly angry (eg, The Guardian in 2021 and 2022).
Another example is islamic terrorism, which “refers to terrorist acts with religious motivations“. Religion is a main belief system within ideology. In reality, there is only 1 God with many names. However, I just realise that religious ideology has been stronger than reality for centuries.
Notwithstanding the previous paragraph, many (collective) religions are in decline, while individual faith is increasing (eg, Pew-2015, Guardian-2018, Pew-2019, WSJ-2023). Perhaps, individual reality is – ultimately – stronger than collective (eg, religious) ideology.
In some instances, we will not live long enough to find out about reality. Perhaps, that is what Karl Popper meant by absolute truths (eg, 1974 video, my 2021 blog). Example: how, when and why did the Universe “start”? Our explanatory theories follow our ideology: eg, religion vs science.
“As soon as you look at the world through an ideology you are finished. No reality fits an ideology. Life is beyond that. … That is why people are always searching for a meaning to life… Meaning is only found when you go beyond meaning. Life only makes sense when you perceive it as mystery and it makes no sense to the conceptualizing mind.”
A quote by Anthony de Mello (1931-1987), “a Jesuit priest and psychotherapist who became widely known for his books on spirituality”.
Sweet Home Alabama (1974) by Lynyrd Skynyrd
band, lyrics, video, Wiki-band, Wiki-song
[Chorus]
Sweet home Alabama
Where the skies are so blue
Sweet home Alabama
Lord, I’m coming home to you
Note: all markings (bold, italic, underlining) by LO unless in quotes or stated otherwise.
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