One of the system's main defenses against recognition is a set of cognitive traps that human thinking easily falls into. Understanding these traps is an important step towards practical awareness of reality, because only by recognizing the mechanisms that interfere with clear thinking is it possible to maintain a critical perspective on societal processes and power structures.

Random trap

The human brain is bad at estimating probabilities and easily accepts statistically unlikely coincidences as “coincidences.” The system actively exploits this peculiarity by disguising coordinated actions as random events.

Example: When several countries introduce very similar laws or restrictions at the same time, this is often presented as a “coincidence” or a “simultaneous idea.” However, in reality, it may be the result of coordinated international cooperation or lobbying.

Complexity Trap

The system deliberately creates complex, confusing explanations for simple mechanisms of power, causing most people to simply give up trying to understand them.

Example: During financial crises, a lot of complex economic terms, schemes and diagrams appear that seem opaque to the average person. The result is the perception that only “experts” can understand what is happening, when often the underlying principle is very simple – privatization of profits and socialization of losses.

The Dichotomy Trap

Reducing multidimensional problems to binary choices (“either democracy or authoritarianism,” “either free market or socialism”) is an effective way to limit thinking and prevent the search for alternative models.

Example: society often and deliberately creates the impression that a country's economic policy can only be "free market" or "centrally planned", but does not recognize various mixed and locally adapted systems that work successfully elsewhere in the world.

False conspiracy trap

The system actively promotes obviously absurd “conspiracy theories” in order to discredit the very idea of hidden mechanisms of power and to make reasonable people avoid any thoughts in this direction.

Example: theories about "reptilians ruling the world" serve as a counter-force that ridicules and marginalizes any discussion in society about very real political and economic backstage agreements, such as the influence of corporate lobbies on legislation.

The trap of cynicism

The system promotes extreme cynicism and nihilism (“all politicians are corrupt,” “nothing can be changed”) as a means to prevent constructive critical thinking and action. When people no longer believe that positive change is possible, they become passive and dismiss any alternatives.

Example: if voters believe that “all politicians steal,” they may no longer participate in elections at all, thus leaving power to those who are best able to exploit this apathy to their advantage.

Winning combination