ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

The Sublime Object of Ideology

The sublime object of ideology is a fancy way of saying that people believe in things that are bigger and more important than they actually are. Imagine you have a favorite toy that you love playing with. To you, that toy is the most amazing thing ever. But to someone else, it's just a regular old toy. The same thing goes for things like politics or religion. People may believe in certain ideas or leaders as if they are larger than life, but in reality, they are just people or abstract concepts. This belief system is called ideology, and it can make people feel like they are part of something special and important. However, sometimes ideology can cloud people's judgment and prevent them from seeing the reality of a situation. So, it's important to try to see things objectively without letting ideology control your thoughts and decisions.