--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What we call ideology is precisely the…" description: "\"What we call ideology is precisely the confusion of linguistic with natural reality, of reference with phenomenalism\" — Paul de Man" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dea/paul-de-man-32598_confusion_what-we-call-ideology-is-precisely-the-c_1693107.png" --- # What we call ideology is precisely the confusion of… ![“What we call ideology is precisely the confusion of linguistic with natural reality, of reference with phenomenalism” quote by Paul de Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dea/paul-de-man-32598_confusion_what-we-call-ideology-is-precisely-the-c_1693107.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dea/paul-de-man-32598_confusion_what-we-call-ideology-is-precisely-the-c_1693107.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dea/paul-de-man-32598_confusion_what-we-call-ideology-is-precisely-the-c_1693107.png) > “What we call ideology is precisely the confusion of linguistic with natural reality, of reference with phenomenalism” [Paul de Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-de-man/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote argues that ideology mistakenly treats language as a direct mirror of reality, confusing symbols with the things they represent. **In simple terms:** Ideology confuses words with reality. Key Takeaway Recognize language’s limits. Themes philosophy language ideology epistemology Mood critical analytical Type theoretical critical When to use this quote - literary criticism - political discourse - media analysis - education - public policy Key Concepts poststructuralism semiotics phenomenology Questions to Reflect On - How does language shape your view of reality? - Can we ever separate words from the world they describe? A Different Perspective It may overlook how language also shapes perception, not just reflects it. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Confusion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confusion/) [Ideology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideology/) [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [Reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reality/) ## Related quotes > [Stalin’s postwar goals were security for himself, his regime, his country, and his ideology, in precisely that order.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis-gaddis/stalin-s-postwar-goals-were-security-for-himself-his-regime-his/) [John Lewis Gaddis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis-gaddis/) > [“In these days of faith-cures, and hypnotism, and telepathy, and subliminalities – why, the simple old world grows very confusing. 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Many prepare themselves for work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nita-leland/establish-an-atmosphere-that-energizes-you-some-creative-people/) [Nita Leland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nita-leland/) > [Love is doing what will enthrall the beloved with the greatest and longest joy. What will enthrall the beloved this way is the glory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/love-is-doing-what-will-enthrall-the-beloved-with-the-greatest-and/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) > [Psychedelic drugs cause paranoia, confusion, and total loss of reality in politicians that have never taken them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-leary/psychedelic-drugs-cause-paranoia-confusion-and-total-loss-of-reality/) [Timothy Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-leary/) > [That feeling you get when you know you are forgetting something, but you don't know what.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/that-feeling-you-get-when-you-know-you-are-forgetting-something-but/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [What are we doing here, that is the question. And we are blessed in this, that we happen to know the answer. Yes, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-beckett/what-are-we-doing-here-that-is-the-question-and-we-are-blessed-in/) [Samuel Beckett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-beckett/) > [But, when it comes to global warming, the public- at-large really doesn't know whom to believe anymore. And NASA has contributed to that confusion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-cunningham/but-when-it-comes-to-global-warming-the-public-at-large-really-doesn/) [Walter Cunningham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-cunningham/) > [You know your in LOVE,because,for once.. You know reality is better than your DREAMS..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-know-your-in-love-because-for-once-you-know-reality-is-better/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“In these days of faith-cures, and hypnotism, and telepathy, and subliminalities – why, the simple old world grows very confusing. But rarely, very rarely novel.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-de-la-mare/in-these-days-of-faith-cures-and-hypnotism-and-telepathy-and/) [Walter de la Mare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-de-la-mare/) > [“If you want nothing to do with god then why do you say his name all the time”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-reimer/if-you-want-nothing-to-do-with-god-then-why-do-you-say-his-name-all/) Emily Reimer [Browse all 1,822 Confusion quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confusion/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "What we call ideology is precisely the confusion of linguistic with natural reality, of reference with phenomenalism", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Paul de Man" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-de-man/what-we-call-ideology-is-precisely-the-confusion-of-linguistic-with/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Confusion" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-de-man/what-we-call-ideology-is-precisely-the-confusion-of-linguistic-with/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dea/paul-de-man-32598_confusion_what-we-call-ideology-is-precisely-the-c_1693107.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dea/paul-de-man-32598_confusion_what-we-call-ideology-is-precisely-the-c_1693107.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dea/paul-de-man-32598_confusion_what-we-call-ideology-is-precisely-the-c_1693107.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“What we call ideology is precisely the confusion of linguistic with natural reality, of reference with…” — Paul de Man", "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": "Paul de Man", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-de-man/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "What we call ideology is precisely...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-de-man/what-we-call-ideology-is-precisely-the-confusion-of-linguistic-with/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-de-man/what-we-call-ideology-is-precisely-the-confusion-of-linguistic-with/#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 } } ] } ```