Self Deception - Part 2 - 60+ Self-Deception Mechanisms

"Nothing is so difficult as not deceiving oneself." - Ludwig Wittgenstein

"Thought is always saying that thought didn't do it." - David Bohm

• Recap of Part One : Leo recaps the foundational concept discussed in part one, explaining that the mind is a self-deception engine that sustains the illusion of reality through a lack of self-awareness, focusing attention externally to avoid inner inquiry that could disrupt the dream-like state we experience as reality.

• Complexity of Self-Deception Mechanisms : Leo acknowledges the complexity and nuances of self-deception mechanisms, indicating that they don't have a fixed hierarchy in terms of importance and can vary greatly among individuals based on a diversity of factors.
• Self-Deception in Belief Systems : The common self-deception of believing to have reality figured out limits personal growth and learning. Firm positions on any subject, whether religious or scientific, can predispose individuals to self-deception as they register beliefs as immutable facts.
• Reality as Objective : The belief in an objective reality with little recognition of the mind's interpretive role is a deception, allowing the mind to implant subjective beliefs as objective facts covertly.
• Underestimating Self-Deception : Leo mentions how one might trivialize self-deception as a minor or infrequent concern, predominantly affecting others, leading to its oversight in oneself.
• Metaphysics Ignorance : The fallacy that one can live free of metaphysics, especially prevalent among scientific communities, is a deception as it denies the impact of underlying metaphysical assumptions influencing thought processes.
• Conceptualization Mistake : Confusing concepts with the actual reality is a pervasive problem, and it includes mistaking scientific models and language for the truth of reality, rather than recognizing its representational role.
• Confusion Between Maps and Territories : Leo discusses the common misunderstanding among scientifically minded people who, despite acknowledging the difference between representations (maps) and reality (territory), fail to apply this understanding to their own beliefs. Scientists and academics may get so engrossed in their conceptual models that they forget the models are mere representations, not reality itself, increasing the likelihood of self-deception.
• Importance of Mindfulness for Scientists : For scientists, Leo emphasizes the necessity of daily meditation and mindfulness to prevent conflating concepts with direct sensory experience. Without mindfulness practice, individuals in scientific fields are at high risk of losing themselves in conceptualizations and models due to their disposition towards theoretical thinking.
• Deception through Language and Labeling : Leo notes that language and technical jargon in academia can deceive by creating complex networks of meanings in the mind. This leads to the illusion of understanding based on labels rather than actual knowledge, creating mental labyrinths that are difficult to escape.
• Belief vs. Direct Experience : Leo clarifies the widespread confusion between beliefs and direct experiences. He points out that most of what is learned in science is accepted as fact without personal verification, making science more belief-based than most are willing to acknowledge, much like religion.
• Judgment of Worldviews on Cohesion : Leo warns against the assumption that a cohesive worldview is inherently correct. He explains that many worldviews can appear internally consistent, but this does not guarantee their truth, leading to an arbitrary selection of beliefs based on personal preferences or upbringing.
• Unwillingness to Admit Ignorance : Addressing the discomfort with uncertainty, Leo explains how people tend to claim knowledge they don't possess rather than admitting ignorance. This unwillingness to say "I don't know" is a form of self-deception encouraged by a society that equates lack of knowledge with inadequacy.
• Childhood Imprinting and Indoctrination : Leo talks about the potency of childhood indoctrination in shaping a person's belief system. Children adopt beliefs from their environment, whether it's religion, metaphysics, or atheism, illustrating how societies use imprinting to mold future generations.
• Influence of Contrast on Perception : Human learning often relies on contrast, leading to skewed perceptions shaped by our immediate environment. For example, growing up without witnessing racism could make one believe it doesn't exist globally, while the opposite might be assumed if raised where racism is prevalent.
• Assumptions and Self-deception : A multitude of assumptions, explicit and implicit, shapes our understanding of reality. These can become deeply ingrained, preventing the conscious recognition of their influence, thereby creating self-deception. Notably, societal norms like the materialist paradigm and uncritical faith in the scientific method are prime examples.
• Fallacy of A Priori Truths : The belief in self-evident or a priori truths—that certain things are known innately or are obvious without empirical evidence—can be highly deceptive. Everything we know is learned through experience, and the label of self-evidence often discourages critical questioning.
• Emotions as Mechanisms of Self-deception : Emotions are powerful motivators that can manipulate behavior and distract from self-reflection. Especially challenging to master are fear, anger, and boredom, which can serve as barriers preventing us from confronting deeper truths.
• Reactions of the Ego to Self-Agenda Threats : The ego reacts defensively when our self-agenda is threatened. This can take the form of resistance to change, which can manifest as emotional biases that interfere with objective reasoning and lead to self-deception.
• Projections as a Form of Self-Deception : Projection occurs when individuals deny unwanted aspects of themselves and instead attribute them to others, which can result in demonization and an incorrect view of self and others.
• Distraction and Red Herrings : Leo Gura explains that distractions, like chasing red herrings, prevent individuals from confronting the truth and engaging in self-reflection. This is a powerful self-deception mechanism as it diverts attention from introspective work.
• Crusading as a Self-Deception Mechanism : Leo observes that individuals who crusade for causes (morality, religion, science, etc.) are often distracting themselves from self-reflection and inner work. Their outward defense of ideologies acts as a barrier to examining their own delusions.
• Addiction as a Form of Self-deception : Addiction is not just a distraction but also a means of self-deception. Leo differentiates between obvious addictions (like drugs) and subtle psychological addictions such as overthinking, daydreaming, and resenting, which are less noticeable but equally deceptive.
• Deceptive Nature of Pet Theories : Clinging to "pet theories" can be a significant form of self-deception as individuals may prefer the comfort of established beliefs over the discomfort of accepting new, conflicting evidence. This occurs across various domains, including science, religion, and politics, and is driven by preference over truth.
• Confirmation Bias and Narrative Construction : Leo points out that confirmation bias and the creation of narratives that fit preconceived assumptions is another mechanism of self-deception. This involves cherry-picking evidence that only confirms beliefs, ignoring disconfirming data.
• Underestimating the Power of Paradigms : People often don't realize how paradigms shape their thinking processes (paradigm blindness). This causes difficulty in recognizing when they’re trapped within a particular paradigm, leading to a skewed perception of reality.
• Taking Basic Concepts for Granted : There's a tendency to take basic components of reality (like life, matter, and time) for granted. This is deceptive as it allows the mind to harbor unchallenged assumptions that could be far from the actual nature of these elements.
• Question Begging : The self-deception of question begging involves answering a question by assuming its conclusion, leading to circular reasoning. Leo cites the example of questioning the reality of the brain as prone to this fallacy.
• Judgment, Criticism, and Name-Calling : Immediate judgment and criticism towards unfamiliar ideas can close one’s mind to exploration and acceptance of potentially valid perspectives, leading to a self-deceptive practice that prevents growth and understanding.
• New Age Bias : A form of self-deception that occurs when individuals are dismissive of concepts they deem "new age" or non-scientific. Leo notes that some of these ideas may contain truth, and rejecting them outright prevents personal advancement.
• Blaming, Scapegoating, and Demonizing : Leo discusses how blaming others and scapegoating are mechanisms of self-deception that avoid self-responsibility and prevent internal introspection. This includes playing the victim, where individuals deceive themselves with a narrative of personal misfortune that isn't necessarily true.
• Arguing and Debating as Distraction : Engaging in arguments and debates, rather than focusing on self-introspection, can serve as a form of self-deception that prevents individuals from addressing their own issues and growing personally.
• False Skepticism and Debunking : Some adopt the identity of skeptics or debunkers, critiquing concepts that are not conclusively proven while overlooking scrutiny of their own beliefs. Leo suggests this is another way to deceive oneself by focusing on external rather than internal beliefs.
• False Skepticism and Debunking : Leo critiques individuals who call themselves skeptics and make a practice of "debunking" various concepts such as chakras, vaccinations, or meditation. He argues that these skeptics pride themselves on defending truth while failing to introspect and debunk their own mind's constructs, maintaining self-deception.
• Human Species Bias in Science : He outlines a significant self-deception trap called human species bias, where human understanding and scientific concepts like mathematics and physics are mistakenly believed to be universal. Leo points out that our knowledge is contingent upon human neurochemistry, culture, and metaphysical assumptions, and is far from being universal or even globally consensual among humans.
• Alien Intelligence vs. Human Understanding : Leo speculates about how contact with alien intelligence might expose the relativity of human knowledge. He proposes that alien understanding of reality would likely reflect their unique biology, psychology, and culture, which might be drastically different from ours due to different physiological and cultural factors.
• Fallacy of World Peace through Human Enlightenment : Contrasting the idea of universal peace through human enlightenment, Leo argues that such a notion is flawed because it ignores the violence and destruction inherent in life that affect countless other species, not just humans.
• Dismissal of Philosophy as Impractical : Leo criticizes the tendency to dismiss philosophical discussions as irrelevant to daily life. By avoiding challenging existential issues, people deceive themselves into maintaining the status quo and prevent the shattering of their illusions.
• Cultural Preferences as a Result of Indoctrination : He describes cultural indoctrination as a mechanism of self-deception, with cultural preferences influencing our food, sexual attractions, entertainment tastes, and religious affiliations. This makes it difficult to accept ideas from other cultures or to recognize the arbitrariness of one's preferences.
• Necessity for a Part Three of the Lecture : Leo announces the need for a third part of the lecture due to the extensive nature of self-deception mechanisms. He emphasizes the ongoing effort to recognize and avoid these self-deceptive traps, likening it to navigating a minefield with precision and vigilance.