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.

Origin of false consciousness

1
First recorded in 1855–60

Words Nearby false consciousness

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

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