We are already living in a world where perception is carefully managed, through history books, news outlets, television and politics. Narratives have always been shaped by those who benefit from them.

The difference today is scale and automation.

Artificial intelligence enables this shaping of perception to be generated, personalised and targeted at each individual in real time. What was once crafted by editors, institutions and governments can now be produced algorithmically. Reality itself can become a fluid construct, tailored to your data profile.

Military Inventions

Both television and the internet began as government inventions — tools of connection and control before becoming commercialised. The internet, for example, traces back to research funded by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).

Whether in the hands of states or corporations, these technologies have shaped perception, steered behaviour and framed what we call “reality”.

Artificial intelligence, like the internet, originated in military and defence research. After the Second World War, AI emerged from early military-funded computing projects in the United States and the United Kingdom. Significant investment went into codebreaking, radar systems and later missile guidance all requiring machine logic and pattern recognition.

During the Cold War, the U.S. Department of Defense, primarily through DARPA, became the largest funder of AI research. The objective was not academic curiosity. It was autonomous decision-making, battlefield intelligence and surveillance.

Today, many modern AI applications including facial recognition, drones, predictive policing, cybersecurity and large language models trace their origins to military or defence-funded laboratories before being adopted and expanded by private technology companies for civilian markets.

During the same period, chemical innovations in agriculture including synthetic fertilisers and pesticides were developed or scaled with military support before entering civilian use. Today, in Europe and the United States alone, excluding the black market, approximately 800,000 tonnes of agricultural chemicals (2023) are used annually enough to fill roughly 320 Olympic swimming pools. This industrial system has been in place since 1945.

There are also documented instances of inventions and inventors whose work was not merely ignored but actively suppressed. One such figure is Viktor Schauberger, often referred to as the “Water Wizard”. 

He experimented with implosion energy, natural motion and the “golden plough” concept within his agricultural research in Austria. His work challenged industrial and scientific orthodoxies of the time and was reportedly targeted and obstructed by powerful interests who perceived his discoveries as a threat to established systems of control and profit.

Many such examples exist in subtler forms,  including lawfare, propaganda, smear campaigns, social shaming and algorithmic control or demonetisation all mechanisms capable of shaping perception and silencing dissent.

Civilian Inventions

Not all innovation has militaristic origins. Permaculture and traditional agricultural systems developed ancient farming practices, crop rotation and soil management long before modern armies existed. These systems were created primarily for survival and community wellbeing.

Ayurveda, herbal medicine and holistic health practices evolved over thousands of years for human wellbeing, not for control or warfare.

The printing press, invented by Johannes Gutenberg, enabled mass communication and literacy. Although later used for propaganda, its original purpose was civilian.

Classical education, philosophy, the arts and mathematical knowledge largely evolved outside military influence. Early renewable technologies including water wheels, windmills and solar heating were developed for practical use. Community governance systems such as democracy, cooperative societies and tribal councils were primarily civilian innovations. Natural textiles, clothing and craft technologies were created for comfort and utility rather than war.

Therein may lie the structural issue: an extraction-based economy has emerged, and civilian society is often operated through systems originally developed within military frameworks.

As artificial intelligence reshapes civilisation, there is an opportunity to reconsider which types of invention we choose to prioritise. Greater space could be created for civilian-rooted systems as society reorganises in the post-AI era.

Gaslighting History

History books, like all media, are written by humans with perspectives, biases and often agendas. Traditionally, history has been recorded by elite scholars, ruling classes, universities or religious institutions frequently reflecting the interests of those in power.

Governments and official chroniclers have commissioned “official histories” to legitimise rulers, empires or political systems. Publishers with political or cultural orientations influence which histories are told and how.

In an environment where perception can be engineered, it is not surprising that conspiracy theories proliferate. Some arise from misinformation or fear. Others have later proved to contain elements of truth. History demonstrates that what is initially dismissed as “conspiracy” can later emerge as documented fact.

Governments have conducted covert experiments. Corporations have concealed data. Institutions have manipulated information to preserve influence or profit.

Exposure to Truth

The challenge lies in discernment. When everything can be questioned, and when artificial intelligence can generate convincing fabrications, distinguishing truth from deception becomes increasingly complex.

Ignorance may feel comfortable until truth can no longer be ignored. At that point, assumptions underpinning one’s life may come into question. A previously stable worldview can feel unsettled.

Psychology indicates that such confrontation can trigger discomfort, anxiety or even grief. We are required to reconcile the life we believed we understood with a reality we must now integrate.

One key factor is cognitive dissonance, the mental tension that arises when new information conflicts with existing beliefs. To reduce this discomfort, individuals may reject, rationalise or reinterpret new information rather than integrate it.

Beliefs are closely tied to identity and self-concept. Changing them can feel like losing part of oneself, triggering anxiety, sadness or grief. Psychologists describe this as psychological restructuring, requiring both emotional and cognitive adjustment.

Research suggests that shifts in worldview often follow stages similar to grief:

• Denial — refusing or minimising the new reality
• Anger — frustration at inconsistency or perceived manipulation
• Bargaining — attempting to reconcile old beliefs with new evidence
• Depression or disorientation — confusion or uncertainty
• Acceptance — integrating the new perspective into a coherent worldview

Individual differences matter. Those with higher openness and resilience tend to adapt more smoothly, tolerating ambiguity and reconstructing perspectives without experiencing identity threat.

Support and Coping Strategies

Shifts in worldview are easier when supported by communities that encourage curiosity, dialogue and critical thinking. Social isolation, or pressure from peers who reject new perspectives, can intensify distress or resistance.

Practical strategies include:

• Reflective journalling
• Gradual exposure to new ideas rather than abrupt immersion
• Critical thinking exercises to evaluate evidence calmly
• Mindfulness or meditation to tolerate uncertainty and emotional discomfort

Psychology recognises worldview change as a natural, though often stressful, process of mental adaptation. When successfully integrated, it can strengthen cognitive flexibility, sharpen discernment and deepen self-awareness. In the end, adjusting to the truth can be beneficial, even if the experience is intense. Much depends on how deeply prior narratives and systems of influence had taken hold.