False Consciousness

False consciousness is often used to refer to an individual's or a group's distorted perception of themselves, the world, or their social condition, that conceals from them some important realities they are subjected to. In this general sense, it can be understood as a psychological, cognitive, or sociological phenomenon, depending on the theories within which it is conceptualized. False consciousness as distorted perception can be related to Plato's “noble lie,” or to Francis Bacon's “idols,” and the term is explicitly used by Jeremy Bentham in his 1780 Introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislation.