The Staircase
Honesty/Rule following/Seriousness/Discipline
- Strictness/Compliance/Regimentation
- Oppression/Authoritarianism/Dictatorship/Monarchy
- Strictness/Compliance/Regimentation
White Lies/Keeping the peace/Making a pleasant environment
- Misdirection/Obfuscation/Individualism
- Manipulation/Hidden Propaganda/Doublethink Regime/???/???/???
- Misdirection/Obfuscation/Individualism
No vaccine for what we face
Most people have no defense for the obfuscated reality we face in the world. People are afraid of rules and strictness because the historical memory of WW2 and the Cold War in the Western world still lingers.
But no longer does it feel like the methods of control in the world are at a head. There is no one leader to dispose of, nobody who actually takes responsibility for the grievances of the people. Despite numerous changes in politicians, the direction of society does not seem to change.
There is not even an equivalent word for authoritarianism based on misdirection.
An example situation
Here’s how misdirection is used: suppose there is someone you know everyone finds annoying, but you maintain a friendly correspondence with them. At an event, you see some people you don’t like hanging out in a room. You encounter this annoying person and say that there are some drinks over there. Unbeknownst to everyone, you sent this annoying person over there to annoy others.
Now, imagine generalizing this to evil people doing harm in society. There is little connection for the things that they do.
Some intelligent person would be able to see things clearly. But instead of directly doing things (which would be met with opposition), they set up some organizations with a “mission” and hire some people to do things for a mission that sounds noble, but the second and third order effects (which are malicious) only they will know.
Conclusion
People who tell you the truth or give you advice about how they honestly feel, even if it sounds bad or offends you, should be treated with the greatest respect.