Individual anxiety drives self-deceptive behavior, an apparent paradox in adverse conditions. Unaware of their self-deceptions, anxious people require help from others to reclaim reality. Coercive forces, such as brainwashing or state control, temporarily disable sound judgement in people and cause ritualistic acts. Submission to the imposed logic is never fully in place, however. The capacity for self-deception also includes positive illusions and hope.
