To a con artist, there is no difference between a person who is too stupid to know they are being conned, and a person who believes they are too smart to be conned.

By my reckoning (from Maciolekism),.. there are five steps in the evolution of our consciousness.

The first step is processing memories while awake. This ability is a huge advantage, although not always successful. The most common failures in the processing of memories while awake is poor accuracy, and not being able to differentiate a memory from present reality. (Think of the stereotypical Vietnam veteran suffering a flashback.)

The second step is imagination; the ability to pull memories apart and put them back together in new and different ways. The most common failure in the use of imagination is not being able to differentiate imagination from reality. (Aluminum foil hats.)

The third step is to be able to process emotional images, memories and imagination together, while awake. Failure in processing emotional images is displayed by people who cannot differentiate between fantasy and reality. (Fantasy being emotional imagination, both positive and negative.) (One person objectifying another.)

The fourth step in the evolution of consciousness is the ability to separate our reasoning from the reasoning of others. We all have a unique perspective with a unique purpose. Thus, we must accept that we will all have unique reasoning.

The fifth step is the ability to separate our emotions from those of other people. Emotions are very important in our daily lives, and most people do not realize how empathic they really are. The measure of a successful empath is the ability to choose when we connect to other people emotionally, and to whom.

(A common display of failure in steps four and five together is the phenomenon of Groupthink and Mass Hysteria.)