This post will be an extension of https://steemit.com/psychology/@embraceurdialect/santa-claus-an-introduction-to-illusion-based-mindcontrol
Cognitive Dissonance
Coming to terms with reality after realising an illusion can be hard and will often occur some level of cognitive dissonance before achieved. Cognitive dissonance is a state of mind that can happen, when a former belief about the nature of something is challenged. The challenge is conducted by "new" information to the individual, that contradicts the prior belief that is held.
A premise that carry, that which contradicts the former held state of mind, produces tension. This tension is seeking to break down the structure of which it is in opposition to.
As an example we can make use of Santa Claus once more, which will serve as well known illustration of this.
The myth of Santa Claus coming with presents to good kids, is the belief and understanding about the function and nature of that particular part in reality, - which is being challenged.
The challenge may come from a peer of age in the school, who holds the key knowledge to shatter the illusion. This knowledge is the premise(s), that will put tension on the state of mind, that is necessary to perceive Santa Claus as real.
The premise is the facts of matter. The knowledge.
"Santa Claus is too big for a chimney."
"Many children one Santa"
"my parents confessed to me that they lied about Santa Claus, it is known fiction".
Cognitive dissonance is the outburst of emotional disagreement, caused by a conflict in cognition. This dynamic is wonderfully explained in Plato's allegory of the cave: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allegory_of_the_Cave
This pattern can also be observed in all other situations, where the psychology in the individual denies reality, for the fantasized comfort an illusion gives them.
Examples of this:
Telling your best friend that his life companion is cheating on him. Although it may be true it is not always a given, that the information is accepted. Cognitive dissonance describes the cause for the effect; where instead of thanking you for the information, - He turns on you and calls you a liar.
Another example would be having to call a family member and bring them so bad news about something, that they will not accept it, because their state of mind will not allow them. Their psychology in some form or another charges a binding, that must be unbound before a correct process of the information can be made.
A third example could be that while I am writing this post, my grandfather told me to come and check out, that his unknown tree in the garden had begun to flower for fruit. Sadly I had to break the spell he put on himself, by separating the branches of the tree, from the branches of the blackberry bush next to it. My conclusion was that his eyes were cheating him and my premise was a scientific proof of it, which I demonstrated in real life (shared, objective reality). This resulted in instantaneous banishment of the prior belief that the tree was about to produce fruit. My grandfather was not emotionally attached to the idea in this case, but imagine if such a belief had stayed with him for 30 years or he invested money into grafting the tree.
Predictive behavior for the uninitiated
Being unable to control or at least recognize when emotional stimulus emerges from tension between ones perception and presented information, which contradicts that perception - leads one into mental gymnastics or can even cause hostility.
Cognitive dissonance is perhaps the single most important self-discovery to be made if one wish to venture forth on learning to control the mind (internally). Without conquering this aspect of mind one can simply not expect to deserve understanding of themselves or the reality they are in. Acceptence, honesty and dedication to reality (Truth) is the only key that ever will unlock the doors in the mind.
Beware of self-deception
In short cognitive dissonance is the battlefield of self-deception. It is in the mind and therefore the fight should also only be in the mind. Projecting emotions unto others for trying to empower you with knowledge, to help shatter your illusions, such as Santa Claus, is a terrible misuse of mental, emotional and bodily energies. It is the child screaming at the other child because he told a truth, that "we" dislike.
An "easy fix" to emotional discourse during conversations or research, is to discover that it is perfectly possible not to accept information or deny it, before you try to know and understand that information. Information does not care whether we agree with it or not. It is just there and waiting for us to understand it.
Being unaware about how our psychology operates in common situations directly causes us to buy into our own illusions. The roots of all illusions are formed by ignorance. An illusion can only occur if we ignore what is beyond that illusion. Other can lie about reality but only the individual himself is respondsible for buying the concept of the lie which propagate the illusion.
This state of mind can be identified with the word solipsism. Solipsism can be understood as the state of mind that overrides reality with our own made up reality, our illusions. This naturally occurs everytime we engage in mental contradictions between how reality actually is and how we percieve it. The illusion is there for us to not see through it. The second we can penetrate it, it will disappear and never return.
Looking at information from it's validity and invalidity, instead of how we favor the message contained in the information or how we want it to be, will help assist our direction towards truth instead of being attached to an illusion some where else.
In part 3 I will combine part 1 and 2 to explore illusion based mindcontrol even further.