An ideology is an army of convictions about how the world is and how it ought to be. As befitting a military force, ideologies are fueled by a sense of threat - kept at bay through a fortress-like structure called the ideological square. - Ideology, Part I- Exploring the Problem Space

The ideological square comes in many flavors, including the basic 'Us versus Them' Square:

  1. Exaggerate our wonderfulness

  2. Exaggerate their awfulness

  3. Downplay our flaws

  4. Downplay their virtues

Here’s a variation that may be used against the ideological competition:

  1. Our ideas are great

  2. Their ideas are awful

  3. If They win, the world will go to hell

  4. If We win, the world will be so much better

I run a debate club. Last night we debated the Green New Deal. I used the Square to think of arguments against the Green New Deal, to the effect:

  1. Your ideas are flawed

  2. There are better approaches

  3. Your ideas will lead to a world of pain

  4. Other approaches will create a better world

Supporters of the Green New Deal came back with:

  1. Other ideas are just cover for capitalist yearnings

  2. Nothing significant is being done to combat climate change

  3. There is no serious alternative to the Green New Deal

  4. The Green New Deal is our only hope to avert catastrophe

As is usual in these debates, no minds were changed.

Next: A Green New Deal Square Dance