To act collectively we establish collective illusions. This could be quite anodyne like all these kids at the music recital are talented, which even if they all the kids are not talented, allows us to put on the recital and have everyone feel good.

Once we've established the illusion it get exploited: machiavellian individuals can use the illusion to wield power and coercion, usually by coaxing naive individuals to spiral into delusion.

This triangulates those disempowered by the social belief, motivating these "outcasts" to attempt to controvert or overthrow the illusion. This causes a reaction among the believers who see the outcasts as attempting to undermine the premise of collective action itself.

In essence,