In my own vocabulary, I do not like using the word ideology. Instead, I use the word model—a much broader term that encompasses ideology, religion, value systems, political ideologies, worldviews, philosophies of life, and more. I use the word ideology here simply because it is easier for readers to understand.
An ideology does not merely shape your thoughts, behavior, and emotions; it also determines what you will come to know next through confirmation bias.
Some models are explicitly named, such as Islam, Catholicism, nationalism, and communism, along with countless variations of each.
But the overwhelming majority of models are never given a name. They consist of the values a person lives by, whether consciously or unconsciously. These values are absorbed, again consciously or unconsciously, from the environment in which that person lives.
More precisely, I define a model as “a set of memes” that exists within the human brain.
As for myself, I do not accept allowing named models to enter my mind and dictate my life—or the lives of my descendants. I believe the intellectual content of such models is generally quite low, and following them often leads to the destruction of one’s happiness and dignity, while ultimately serving the interests or agendas of other individuals or groups.
Instead, I build my own model, grounded in truth, happiness, and intelligence. I do not reject all other models outright; rather, I absorb the very best from each of them. My own model must also be updated continuously—it must never become dogmatic. In my view, a model should align as closely as possible with the newest, broadest, and most accurate knowledge available, as well as the latest technology. It should be capable of explaining everything, revealing the underlying similarities among things, and uncovering their fundamental nature.
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