--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The fact that political ideologies are…" description: "\"The fact that political ideologies are tangible realities is not a proof of their vitally necessary character. The bubonic plague was an extraordinaril..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f0/wilhelm-reich-2565_bubonic-plague_the-fact-that-political-ideologies-are-t_2028422.jpg" --- # The fact that political ideologies are tangible realities… ![“The fact that political ideologies are tangible realities is not a proof of their vitally necessary character. The bubonic plague was an extraordinarily powerful social reality, but no one would have regarded it as vitally necessary.” quote by Wilhelm Reich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f0/wilhelm-reich-2565_bubonic-plague_the-fact-that-political-ideologies-are-t_2028422.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f0/wilhelm-reich-2565_bubonic-plague_the-fact-that-political-ideologies-are-t_2028422.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f0/wilhelm-reich-2565_bubonic-plague_the-fact-that-political-ideologies-are-t_2028422.jpg) > “The fact that political ideologies are tangible realities is not a proof of their vitally necessary character. The bubonic plague was an extraordinarily powerful social reality, but no one would have regarded it as vitally necessary.” [Wilhelm Reich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilhelm-reich/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Ideologies may seem concrete but aren't inherently essential; they can be powerful without being indispensable. **In simple terms:** Ideas can be strong yet not essential. Key Takeaway Question the necessity of dominant ideas. Themes politics philosophy reality ideology necessity Mood critical thoughtful Type analytical philosophical When to use this quote - political debates - public policy formation - social movements - academic discourse Key Concepts social construct epistemology contingency Questions to Reflect On - What beliefs do you treat as indispensable? - How can we test if an idea is truly necessary? A Different Perspective Ideas can be misinterpreted as essential due to their impact. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bubonic plague](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bubonic-plague/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Ideologies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideologies/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reality/) ## Related quotes > [Authoritarian political ideologies have a vested interest in promoting fear, a sense of the imminence of takeover by aliens and real diseases are useful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-sontag/authoritarian-political-ideologies-have-a-vested-interest-in/) [Susan Sontag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-sontag/) > [Amongst Western intelligentsia, to criticize if not loathe American values is viewed as progressive and liberal, whilst to support brutal and intolerant religious and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gad-saad/amongst-western-intelligentsia-to-criticize-if-not-loathe-american/) [Gad Saad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gad-saad/) > [“modern times, of course, political ideologies have taken over the numinous function, with the face of the leader multiplied on a thousand banners.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-h-erikson/modern-times-of-course-political-ideologies-have-taken-over-the/) Erik H. Erikson > [The razor-sharp line of division that exists between political ideologies in our own country in the United States, I think it's clear that these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zachary-quinto/the-razor-sharp-line-of-division-that-exists-between-political/) [Zachary Quinto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zachary-quinto/) > [“Yet, it was precisely our failure to differentiate between work and politics, between reality and illusion; it was precisely our mistake of conceiving of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilhelm-reich/yet-it-was-precisely-our-failure-to-differentiate-between-work-and/) [Wilhelm Reich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilhelm-reich/) > [“It’s a sad fact in the political arena that once you get a taste of power, you feel like you know everything.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-g-cooper/it-s-a-sad-fact-in-the-political-arena-that-once-you-get-a-taste-of/) C.G. 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Berger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-l-berger/) > [No two languages are ever sufficiently similar to be considered as representing the same social reality. The worlds in which different societies live are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-tan/no-two-languages-are-ever-sufficiently-similar-to-be-considered-as/) [Amy Tan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-tan/) > [“Habermas says that our work upon the world has the instrumental interest of "technical control." When we engage in producing something our only interest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-h-groome/habermas-says-that-our-work-upon-the-world-has-the-instrumental/) Thomas H. Groome > [It is a strange and wonderful fact to be here, walking around in a body, to have a whole world within you and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-o-donohue/it-is-a-strange-and-wonderful-fact-to-be-here-walking-around-in-a/) [John O'Donohue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-o-donohue/) ## More by Wilhelm Reich > [The question of how and why the encrustations and rigidifications of human emotional life are brought about led directly into the realm of vegetative…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilhelm-reich/the-question-of-how-and-why-the-encrustations-and-rigidifications-of/) [Wilhelm Reich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilhelm-reich/) > [“Saw a film on cancer yesterday, shown by the English delegation. No doubt about it. I'm right. "Migratory cancer cells" are amoebic formations. 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