So I want to say a bit about collectivism---meaning viewing individuals as groups rather than seeing an individual as an individual.
Intellect uses "sameness recognition" and "difference recognition" to categorize. That's what intellect does. Reasoning, cognitive thought, relies on labels, definitions. The map remains just a representation of territory.
You don't have to study set theory much to understand how SETS are constructed. Set groupings are made up, and are based upon variables in common.
So one could say "this blue thing is part of the 'things that are blue' SET. But it might also belong to a made up set called 'things you can drink out of' or any other made up set. You can even recognize it as separate from other 'things that are blue' by making a new set called "royal blue things only.'
Intellect does this. But there are no TRUE sets anymore than there are true folders you make up on your computer desktop.
Sometimes individuals (I'll say belong to a set called propagandists) use damned lies, called statistics, to manipulate others in order to control other individuals and to push an agenda. You can do this with set groupings, and get the statistics to show what you want by expanding or narrowing the sets---and by altering the 'variables in common.'
Facts exist, but the intellect can misrepresent the facts not only to others it seeks to manipulate but to itself when there is emotional attachment to superstition. When one is searching for the facts, looking sincerely for what is true and what isn't--it pays to be keenly aware not only that this CAN happen, but how and why it happens, and what it looks like.
