I suspect one major cause of the modern psychosis plaguing the West is self-deceit. People lie to themselves, and not about small things. They internalize beliefs that are contradicted every waking hour of the day within countless interactions. It’s like professing the sky to be yellow and water to be on fire. To continue to believe it, you must constantly block those things out of your mind.

The people in charge of things, those in power, pretend to be helpless victims as they lash out at the powerless who are deemed to be covertly controlling everything. Those who are among “the haves” insist they’re one of the “have nots” as they hoard and consolidate even more.

The cowardly and pathetic pretend to be brave and heroic for proclaiming beliefs that involve no risk. They are praised by people who pretend to support out of sincere belief, not complacency or fear of consequences.

All this takes a toll.

Self-deceit is a horrendous vice, but seldom discussed.