false consciousness

noun

1. a Marxist theory that people are unable to see things, especially exploitation, oppression, and social relations, as they really are; the hypothesized inability of the human mind to develop a sophisticated awareness of how it is developed and shaped by circumstances.
2. any belief or view that prevents a person from being able to understand the true nature of a situation.

Word History and Origins

Origin of false consciousness¹

First recorded in 1855–60

Example Sentences

Is my religion the product of false consciousness or a conscious response to the true God?

From The Daily Beast

Moreover, they don't believe this because they've been brainwashed into false consciousness by consumerist propaganda.

From The Daily Beast