Fake-Reality: Cheating on Living Consciousness on a Mass Scale

The chapter argues that fake-reality exploits the magical-participatory nature of living consciousness, when a person inadvertently identifies himself or herself with a symbolized message, and only the degree of identification distinguishes rational understanding from suggestibility. Types of fake-reality in the domains of health protection, industry, cosmetics, information, politics, and others are discussed. The psychological roots of the ability to create fake messages in child development are exposed. The dynamics of fake-reality in the course of history of European cultures is traced in art, industry, and other domains of mass culture. Distinction between good and bad fakes is introduced, and the ways of coping with fakes are discussed.