[Lestat]

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I would say that an ideology is an interlocking system of ideas to which we give great value. These are values that define US and those who oppose US is THEM. US tries to defeat THEM often any way that we can. Our ideologies define our identity.

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Right. Ideologies in and of themselves aren't necessarily a bad thing. The question (I think) is, how do people as a group come to start believing irrational or bad idealogies?

There is great power in numbers. Once several people whom others respect start professing an idealogy to be true, others are either persuaded or embarrassed into believing it too. I think the more people who are already on the bandwagon, the less thinking it takes for the next person to jump on. An assumption is made that the idea is good. Either that, or the fear of ridicule and embarrassment that would come from going against the grain, overrides rational thought.

It really is a fascinating subject. I wish I knew more about it. It just seems to me, that when a mass group of people start believing something, it takes on a life of it's own and there's no stopping them. Again, I think the Bush presidency is a very interesting and typical example of mass thinking. At first, almost everyone was willing to overlook the obvious. Once enough people started turning the other way, did middle America (and Joe average) follow.