The Power of Delusions

Self-importance is akin to cocaine.

Social Psychologist David Myers discovered what he labeled “The Lake Wobegon Effect.” Based on a fictitious town where everyone considers themselves to be above average, Myers noted the human propensity to have a somewhat aggrandized view of oneself. Other psychologists describe self-enhancing beliefs. But while many of us fancy ourselves, a select few have managed to convince themselves of their god-like specialness. These individuals are the apparent revolutionaries sent to fundamentally change the world.

And all of them hate the establishment.

In If It Sounds Like a Quack…, journalist Matthew Hongoltz-Hetling wrote about various practitioners of alternative medicine, who rose to prominence, or infamy, by means of their varied medical inventions. One created a laser, another harnessed the power of leeches, and there was also a bleach injection. Each individual story was a type of heroic journey, wherein the revolutionary thinker resolved to take on the powers that be; sometimes, they were the social elite and, at others, their extraterrestrial puppeteers. Their self-concepts were self-enhancing beliefs on steroids. So, as I read the book, I wanted desperately to understand why they needed them as one would need air and whether or not they ever wavered from them. Not only did they despise the establishment, they felt superior to it, scoffing at conventional medical wisdom while mocking its proponents.

Psychoanalyst Nancy McWilliams wrote, “Envy may also be the root of the much-noted judgmental quality of narcissistically organized persons, toward themselves and toward others. If I feel deficient and l perceive you as having it all, I may try to destroy what you have by deploring, scorning, or ridiculing it.” Delusions are therefore the bulwarks of envy, stemming the onslaught of self-imposed shame. When I was a conspiracy theorist, I was as judgmental as the characters of Matthew’s book. Having failed god knows how many classes in middle school, and forgoing high school altogether, I yearned to know better and be smarter than those who purported to teach me. My extreme self-doubt was masked with an assurance of brilliance. I may not have had a One True Cure, but I possessed insights unattainable by the uninitiated and ignorant masses. But my self-assurance, while seemingly stable, frequently crumbled. Like a house of cards, toppled by the slightest breeze.

In the book, Matthew recalled his interview with Dawn Kai, a former disciple of Robert O. Young, the progenitor of the pH miracle cure. Matt asked her if she thought that he actually believed in his treatment, which was argued in court when she decided to sue him. Dawn noted that she believed Young’s approach was an extreme version of “fake it ’til you make it.” She maintained he was sure that the evidence of his cure was awaiting him, necessitating from him just a little more patience. So, it wasn’t so much that he knew his cure worked; he merely predicted that he would know for sure sometime very soon. At some point, like a true comic book villain, he would show them all. His stance was combative, like that of a tormented animal.

Therefore, it isn’t enough to challenge delusions; as in psychotherapy practice, the relationship is paramount. Philosopher Lee McIntyre argues that delusions become susceptible to change in the presence of a kind and considerate mentor, someone who makes the victim of disinformation feel accepted. I wrote about how my college mentor did that for me. My envy toward him and everything he stood for transformed into the hope that I could someday become part of the establishment I believed looked down on me. So, I wondered, what life would be like for those who consistently turn to alternative medicine and science, more broadly. What if they believed that they could understand and feel included by mainstream science?

In his book, On Disinformation, Lee writes, ” …recognize that in some sense deniers are victims. They have been duped. They are the zombie foot soldiers of the creators of disinformation, who are profiting by their ignorance, while the believer gets nothing.” I was as much a victim as I was an aggressor. I bought books, lectures, and found a myriad of ways to support my grandiosity. The powers of delusions severed my relationships and made me feel isolated from most of the world. But, it’s worth noting, especially because of my own experience, that some of us can still be saved. We just first have to understand how and why they need disinformation.

Check out our episode with Matthew below:

And our episode with Lee: