Fantasy Ideology revisited: Hamas’ call for a truce

Medusa
CiF Watch
28 March '11


In October 2010, I wrote an article here about the role of fantasy ideology in Al-Qaeda’s power in the Arab world. I had not long before read Lee Harris’ excellent paper on the subject. Harris (2002) defines fantasy ideology as:

“…political and ideological symbols and tropes used not for political purposes, but entirely for the benefit of furthering a specific personal or collective fantasy …”

Harris goes on to describe the nature of fantasy ideology. He tells us that fantasy is usual and normal and that most of us can separate out our fantasy lives from reality. However, in some individuals this demarcation is, at best, unpredictable and it results in behaviour which can vary from the merely bizarre to frankly obnoxious to the clinically psychotic.

Harris also tells us that the recurring theme in the employment of fantasy ideology is the use of other people as props to enact it. The power of the fantasist rests with that important fact and the willingness of the props to remain in that relationship.

In the normal world the fantasist is surrounded by others who are firmly rooted in reality and these act as psychological containers which boundary the fantasist’s worst excesses.

The trouble comes, of course, when a whole group becomes embroiled in the fantasy, often because, Harris argues, of a collective need to do so. The fantasy world is boundless; in the imagination anything is possible if a leader driven by a fantasy ideology can sway his people. We see such fantasy ideology, dressed up as “democracy” in the riots in the Middle East. The people in Tahrir Square are, I believe we will find out, merely props for the Muslim Brotherhood’s fantasy ideology of an Islamic republic in Egypt.

(Read full "Fantasy Ideology revisited: Hamas’ call for a truce")

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