--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It seems to me that any ideology is bad…" description: "\"It seems to me that any ideology is bad because it is inevitably reductive and identifies other ideologies as evil, and itself with truth, whereas both..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e22/alexander-schmemann-18392_evil_it-seems-to-me-that-any-ideology-is-bad_543241.jpg" --- # It seems to me that any ideology is bad because it is… ![“It seems to me that any ideology is bad because it is inevitably reductive and identifies other ideologies as evil, and itself with truth, whereas both truth and goodness are always transcendent.” quote by Alexander Schmemann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e22/alexander-schmemann-18392_evil_it-seems-to-me-that-any-ideology-is-bad_543241.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e22/alexander-schmemann-18392_evil_it-seems-to-me-that-any-ideology-is-bad_543241.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e22/alexander-schmemann-18392_evil_it-seems-to-me-that-any-ideology-is-bad_543241.jpg) > “It seems to me that any ideology is bad because it is inevitably reductive and identifies other ideologies as evil, and itself with truth, whereas both truth and goodness are always transcendent.” [Alexander Schmemann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-schmemann/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Ideologies simplify complex reality, labeling others as evil, while claiming absolute truth, ignoring transcendent goodness. **In simple terms:** Ideologies are reductive and claim exclusive truth. Key Takeaway Question and transcend rigid ideologies. Themes philosophy religion critical thinking Mood thoughtful critical Type philosophical theological When to use this quote - political discourse - interfaith dialogue - personal belief systems Key Concepts reductionism truth claims transcendence Questions to Reflect On - What assumptions underlie your beliefs? - Can multiple truths coexist? A Different Perspective Truth and goodness may be subjective, not universally transcendent. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) [Goodness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goodness/) [Ideologies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideologies/) [Ideology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideology/) [Transcendent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/transcendent/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) ## Related quotes > [“But what if absolute consistency on any issue from the left or the right, religious or secular, is an indication of mediocre intelligence and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/but-what-if-absolute-consistency-on-any-issue-from-the-left-or-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Killing or eating animals is an act of beasts. Stirs within the devil. Sorry. It spurs evil. Thus is truth - at least the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fakeer-ishavardas/killing-or-eating-animals-is-an-act-of-beasts-stirs-within-the-devil/) [Fakeer Ishavardas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fakeer-ishavardas/) > [Look at us! Are we not proof that there is no good, no evil, no truth, no reason? Are we not proof that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grant-morrison/look-at-us-are-we-not-proof-that-there-is-no-good-no-evil-no-truth-no/) [Grant Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grant-morrison/) > [The truth is that there are no good men, or bad men,' he said. 'It is the deeds that have goodness or badness in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-david-roberts/the-truth-is-that-there-are-no-good-men-or-bad-men-he-said-it-is-the/) [Gregory David Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-david-roberts/) > [“None of us suffers as much as we should, or loves as much as we say. Love is the first lie; wisdom the last.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/djuna-barnes/none-of-us-suffers-as-much-as-we-should-or-loves-as-much-as-we-say/) [Djuna Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/djuna-barnes/) > [The imbalance results from ideologies which uphold the absolute autonomy of markets and financial speculation, and thus deny the right of control to States,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/the-imbalance-results-from-ideologies-which-uphold-the-absolute/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [It has been our fate as a nation not to have ideologies but to be one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-hofstadter/it-has-been-our-fate-as-a-nation-not-to-have-ideologies-but-to-be-one/) [Richard Hofstadter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-hofstadter/) > [The white race is the cancer of human history; it is the white race and it alone — its ideologies and inventions — which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-sontag/the-white-race-is-the-cancer-of-human-history-it-is-the-white-race/) [Susan Sontag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-sontag/) > [The fact that so many people choose to live in ways that narrow the community of fate to a very limited set of others…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-levi/the-fact-that-so-many-people-choose-to-live-in-ways-that-narrow-the/) Margaret Levi > [Ideologies are too seductive anyway. It does a man good to see things from a different point of view.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brin/ideologies-are-too-seductive-anyway-it-does-a-man-good-to-see-things/) [David Brin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brin/) > [Most of ideologies are not based on the individual - no matter what they say. There are these peoples' democracies, nationalism - they're all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-capra/most-of-ideologies-are-not-based-on-the-individual-no-matter-what/) [Frank Capra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-capra/) > [Ideologies are cultural memes. They are the most confining of the cultural memes. That's where culture gets real ugly. It is when you rub…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/ideologies-are-cultural-memes-they-are-the-most-confining-of-the/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [Ideologies do not map the complete living processes of a World.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-irwin-thompson/ideologies-do-not-map-the-complete-living-processes-of-a-world/) [William Irwin Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-irwin-thompson/) > [It seems that in the advanced stages of stupidity, a lack of ideas is compensated for by an excess of ideologies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-ruiz-zafon/it-seems-that-in-the-advanced-stages-of-stupidity-a-lack-of-ideas-is/) [Carlos Ruiz Zafon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-ruiz-zafon/) > [Ideologies have no heart of their own. They're the whores and angels of our striving selves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-le-carre/ideologies-have-no-heart-of-their-own-they-re-the-whores-and-angels/) [John le Carre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-le-carre/) ## More by Alexander Schmemann > [“On one side it seems there is faith in a Creator-God - and at the same time, the rejection of his creation; and on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-schmemann/on-one-side-it-seems-there-is-faith-in-a-creator-god-and-at-the-same/) [Alexander Schmemann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-schmemann/) > [“Christian mission is not to preach Christ, but to be Christians in life. There”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-schmemann/christian-mission-is-not-to-preach-christ-but-to-be-christians-in/) [Alexander Schmemann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-schmemann/) > [“In the Orthodox ecclesial experience and tradition a sacrament is understood primarily as a revelation of the genuine nature of creation, of the world,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-schmemann/in-the-orthodox-ecclesial-experience-and-tradition-a-sacrament-is/) [Alexander Schmemann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-schmemann/) > [ “To be more precise... death is \[contrary to\] God, and if death is natural, if it is the ultimate truth about life and about… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-schmemann/to-be-more-precise-death-is-contrary-to-god-and-if-death-is-natural/) [Alexander Schmemann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-schmemann/) > [In the process of replacing the old religions, Christianity became a religion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-schmemann/in-the-process-of-replacing-the-old-religions-christianity-became-a/) [Alexander Schmemann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-schmemann/) > [ “The additional problem with all these proofs \[of the immortality of the soul\] is that in their attempt to affirm the existence of another… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-schmemann/the-additional-problem-with-all-these-proofs-of-the-immortality-of/) [Alexander Schmemann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-schmemann/) > [“To live in the world as if there were no God ! "-but hon esty to the Gospel, to the whole Christian tradition, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-schmemann/to-live-in-the-world-as-if-there-were-no-god-but-hon-esty-to-the/) [Alexander Schmemann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-schmemann/) > [“This world rejected Christ, refused to see in Him its own life and fulfillment. And since it has no other life but Christ, by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-schmemann/this-world-rejected-christ-refused-to-see-in-him-its-own-life-and/) [Alexander Schmemann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-schmemann/) > [Love is the essence of the holiness of the Church.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-schmemann/love-is-the-essence-of-the-holiness-of-the-church/) [Alexander Schmemann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-schmemann/) > [Man is a hungry being. But he is hungry for God. Behind all the hunger of our life is God. All desire is finally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-schmemann/man-is-a-hungry-being-but-he-is-hungry-for-god-behind-all-the-hunger/) [Alexander Schmemann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-schmemann/) > [“The Purpose of the Eucharist lies not in the change of the bread and wine, but in the partaking of Christ, who has become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-schmemann/the-purpose-of-the-eucharist-lies-not-in-the-change-of-the-bread-and/) [Alexander Schmemann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-schmemann/) > [We should have understood long ago that there is, in this world, religion without God, religion as a center of all idols that possess…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-schmemann/we-should-have-understood-long-ago-that-there-is-in-this-world/) [Alexander Schmemann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-schmemann/) > [“Thus the whole death is not the biological phenomenon of death but the spiritual reality whose "sting... is sin" (1 Cor. 15:56) - the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-schmemann/thus-the-whole-death-is-not-the-biological-phenomenon-of-death-but/) [Alexander Schmemann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-schmemann/) > [“Our modern theology, which in many ways has ceased to be personal, i.e. centered on the Christian experience of "person," nevertheless - and maybe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-schmemann/our-modern-theology-which-in-many-ways-has-ceased-to-be-personal-i-e/) [Alexander Schmemann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-schmemann/) > [Centuries of secularism have failed to transform eating into something strictly utilitarian. Food is still treated with reverence...To eat is still something more than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-schmemann/centuries-of-secularism-have-failed-to-transform-eating-into/) [Alexander Schmemann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-schmemann/) [Explore all 35 Alexander Schmemann quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-schmemann/) ## More Evil quotes > [I've always been fascinated by the idea that there's no such thing as evil; it's all in your point of view. To one group…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eli-roth/i-ve-always-been-fascinated-by-the-idea-that-there-s-no-such-thing-as/) [Eli Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eli-roth/) > [If ever I did a man any goodof course it was something exceptional and insignificant compared with the good or evil which I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/if-ever-i-did-a-man-any-goodof-course-it-was-something-exceptional/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Every action that helps us manifest our divine nature more and more is good; every action that retards it is evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/every-action-that-helps-us-manifest-our-divine-nature-more-and-more/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [I do conscientiously and sincerely believe that the Order of Freemasonry, if not the greatest, is one of the greatest moral and political evils…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/i-do-conscientiously-and-sincerely-believe-that-the-order-of/) [John Quincy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/) > [The Republicans do not look on the Democrats as the evil empire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-safire/the-republicans-do-not-look-on-the-democrats-as-the-evil-empire/) [William Safire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-safire/) > [Let us remember that every worldview-not just Christianity's-must give an explanation or an answer for evil and suffering...this is not just a problem distinctive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-zacharias/let-us-remember-that-every-worldview-not-just-christianity-s-must/) [Ravi Zacharias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravi-zacharias/) > [What is done out of love always takes place beyond good and evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/what-is-done-out-of-love-always-takes-place-beyond-good-and-evil/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [ Evil cannot be "treated" -- nor should it be. Evil has to \[be\] confronted and destroyed and it matters not why the evil is… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-o-reilly/evil-cannot-be-treated-nor-should-it-be-evil-has-to-be-confronted-and/) [Bill O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-o-reilly/) > [The evil which does me no harm is like the good which in no wise avails me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/the-evil-which-does-me-no-harm-is-like-the-good-which-in-no-wise/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [Attack the evil that is within yourself, rather than attacking the evil that is in others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/attack-the-evil-that-is-within-yourself-rather-than-attacking-the/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [Somewhere somebody must have some sense. Men must see that force begets force, hate begets hate, toughness begets toughness. And it is all a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/somewhere-somebody-must-have-some-sense-men-must-see-that-force/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [There is a spirit which I feel that delights to do no evil, nor to revenge any wrong, but delights to endure all things,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-nayler/there-is-a-spirit-which-i-feel-that-delights-to-do-no-evil-nor-to/) James Nayler > [The politician attempts to remedy the evil by increasing the very thing that caused the evil in the first place: legal plunder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-bastiat/the-politician-attempts-to-remedy-the-evil-by-increasing-the-very/) [Frederic Bastiat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-bastiat/) > [“Water is so friendly when you have it on your palms, but so evil when they have you on theirs.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-moonzajer/water-is-so-friendly-when-you-have-it-on-your-palms-but-so-evil-when/) [M.F. 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On…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morihei-ueshiba/the-art-of-peace-is-not-easy-it-is-a-fight-to-the-finish-the-slaying/) [Morihei Ueshiba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morihei-ueshiba/) [Browse all 11,163 Evil quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It seems to me that any ideology is bad because it is inevitably reductive and identifies other ideologies as evil, and itself with truth, whereas both truth and goodness are always transcendent.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Alexander Schmemann" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-schmemann/it-seems-to-me-that-any-ideology-is-bad-because-it-is-inevitably/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Evil" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-schmemann/it-seems-to-me-that-any-ideology-is-bad-because-it-is-inevitably/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e22/alexander-schmemann-18392_evil_it-seems-to-me-that-any-ideology-is-bad_543241.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e22/alexander-schmemann-18392_evil_it-seems-to-me-that-any-ideology-is-bad_543241.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e22/alexander-schmemann-18392_evil_it-seems-to-me-that-any-ideology-is-bad_543241.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It seems to me that any ideology is bad because it is inevitably reductive and identifies other ideologies…” — Alexander Schmemann", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Alexander Schmemann", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-schmemann/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It seems to me that any...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-schmemann/it-seems-to-me-that-any-ideology-is-bad-because-it-is-inevitably/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-schmemann/it-seems-to-me-that-any-ideology-is-bad-because-it-is-inevitably/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```