The Origin and Rise of Image-Based Deception in Modern Culture

We are undeniably in the midst of an epidemic of superficiality and fake-ness. Everywhere you look, “influencers” are peddling nonsensical and wasteful products - caring more about their quick buck than the impact on their followers - while brands charge premium prices for low-quality and toxic goods, using your purchase dollars to pay celebrities millions to endorse the very products they don’t actually use, in order to create the illusion of a luxury brand. In essence, you’re paying to fool yourself.

In an age where social media dominates our cultural landscape, celebrity worship skews our children’s sense of self-worth, and attention spans are nearly extinct, it’s time to ask: How did we get here? Dissatisfaction among lower and middle-class citizens has reached a boiling point, where an accused murderer can be glorified as a saint, and bullies are elevated into positions of public power. Image-based deception has become an increasingly pervasive and dangerous threat to mental health. Good looks and carefully curated appearances often determine why such individuals gain a following or why certain politicians succeed where others fail. This growing unrest is further exacerbated by the phenomenon of consumer rage, fueled by billion-dollar corporations that blatantly deceive their customers with brazenly legal neglect, all in the relentless pursuit of profit at any cost but their own.

These larger corporations scale down their costs and ethical practices to maximize profits, sacrificing even the unthinkable: customer service. Remember when you could call a company, speak to a representative based in your country, and have an actual conversation where your issue was understood, and you received support? Those days are almost extinct, and users sign away any rights to complain about it.

The psychological impact of customer support rage is reflected in The American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) report that 80% of consumers who experienced poor service felt increased stress and frustration. Likewise, a study published in the Journal of Service Research found that 74% of customers reported feeling angry and 42% feeling trapped when unable to resolve their issues efficiently due to poor service, deceptive terms, negligent practices, and the feeling of being powerless.

Image-based Deception

Let’s break down how we got here, starting with the increasingly pervasive rise of image-based deception infiltrating every corner of modern society. Organic authenticity has been replaced by carefully curated facades, while truth predictably slips through the fingers of those with enough wealth and power to deny it. Gaslight is the new green light for global manipulation.

As a yoga instructor, where attention and truth are the cornerstones of our practice, I find this subtle yet steadily rising shift in society particularly daunting. Attention - once a natural currency of connection, awareness, and reassurance - has become a rare and valuable commodity. The only reason that I am actively writing and speaking out about these issues (and not living peacefully off the grid somewhere) is because the demand for authenticity grows louder every day as we navigate a world drowning in delusions and distractions. Every day people reach out to me saying, “We’ve never needed you more,” and I believe that reclaiming our connection to nature - and what is natural - feels more urgent than ever.

Nazi Influence

This past year, I immersed myself into a series of documentaries examining pivotal moments in history when unethical forces seized power and control over the masses. These included Stalin's rise, Hitler's ascent and Nazi propaganda tactics, and the political landscapes of ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome. My curiosity was driven by a desire to understand the origins of fake news as well as the evolution of morality in humankind - two forces that gained momentum with the birth of the printing press. If we aspire to live in a world where conscious morality and ethical leadership replace power-hungry dictators and harmful business practices - both of which take a toll on our physical and mental well-being - it is essential for each of us to cultivate the ability to discern truth from fiction.

Nazi political propaganda was a cornerstone of Adolf Hitler's rise to power and the consolidation of his regime. Under the direction of Joseph Goebbels, Minister of Propaganda, the Nazi Party employed a sophisticated array of techniques to influence public opinion, instill ideology, and cement control over Germany. They monopolized newspapers, radio, film, and publishing to ensure that only their narrative reached the public, creating an echo chamber of misinformation that stifled opposition and dissent.

The Nazis cleverly used fake news and fear-mongering to exploit the devastation of the Great Depression and people’s desperate hunger for change. They pioneered a form of branding that combined political objectives with elitist imagery, using a logo (the swastika) and short, memorable slogans to leave a impression on the public’s psyche.

Around the same time, brands like Coca-Cola were just beginning to explore celebrity endorsements and strategic branding. But the Nazis took it to another level, weaponizing the concept by promoting an image of an elite, fit, blonde-haired, blue-eyed ideal as the deceptive face of their ideology - hiding their monstrous intentions behind an alluring facade. They introduced the idea of a "supermodel" to sell their lies. And let’s not forget, Hugo Boss designed the Nazi uniforms - talk about brand sponsorship!

I believe the racial elitism that defined the Nazi regime subtly influenced the “all-American” ideal, where fit, blonde-haired, blue-eyed individuals came to symbolize an aspirational standard of American nationalism. This bias is evident in how missing blonde girls often dominate media coverage and public sympathy, while missing African American girls, sadly, receive far less attention. Even cultural icons like Beyoncé recognize that being blonde in America leads to greater popularity and broader appeal.

These same deceptive tactics set a dark precedent for how power can exploit perception, influencing not only politics but also the modern world’s approach to branding, marketing, and media. Today, brand development includes all of these same elements: a mission statement, logo, slogan, desirable models, and attractive ads. These same tactics are used by corporations, celebrities and influencers today, using superficial facades to harness your attention, loyalty, and ultimately your purchase, like, or vote. It’s a chilling reminder that those in positions of power can manipulate the masses and obscure the truth for their own benefit and profit, and that they often do.

Toxic Celebrity Culture and Corporate Greed

Celebrities, with their larger-than-life personas, were once considered inspirational figures. Today, many have become salespeople - peddling lifestyles, perfumes, and narratives that are far removed from their realities. The curated images they project serve corporate interests, enticing us to buy into their sponsored illusions while reinforcing our own feelings of inadequacy.

True artists, unlike people who seek fame, are often deeply spiritual and even visionary. Many artists who reach the pinnacle of fame realize that external success cannot satisfy their deeper spiritual hunger for truth and equality, which made them artists to begin with. Like me, they’ve had the rare experience of seeing firsthand what typically lies behind the curtain of fame - it’s often a manipulative team of agents, stylists, marketers, propagandists, and deal-makers, not an all-powerful wizard. Those who haven’t reached such heights might still believe the illusion that fame and success hold the key to freedom, happiness, and fulfillment. They cling to the hope that if they keep striving, the thirst within them will one day be quenched, leaving little room for genuine contentment, or conscious living.

The Subtle Dehumanization of Truth

Beyond the obvious advertisements, there is a more insidious form of manipulation at play. Gaslighting tactics - once confined to personal relationships - are now deployed on a societal scale. Whether it’s a corporation denying environmental negligence, a celebrity feigning philanthropy while hoarding wealth, or political leaders selling half-truths, the result is the same: confusion, mistrust, and a collective inability to discern reality from illusion.

Every day I witness parents and teachers struggling to maintain the sheer amount of emotional and mental labor required just to exist within the dynamics of our world today. If they’re struggling, who is guiding younger generations through the noise? Life today is overwhelming for most people. As a society, we’ve lost our space to simply live; the demands to be constantly productive, and the rapid pace of technology have crowded out the moments of stillness and simplicity that are essential to our well-being. We’ve become conditioned to believe that value lies in doing, achieving, and accumulating rather than being.

The psychological impact of these deceptions cannot be overstated. It’s no coincidence that rates of anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem are skyrocketing, particularly among young people. We are bombarded with impossible standards, not only of beauty but also of success, happiness, and social status. Oh, and have you seen the pseudoscience biohackers selling the concept of immortality? As if there’s no more snake oil to peddle. Sorry, but the last that I checked, death currently remains undefeated. You see, all of these tactics are designed to keep us consuming, doubting ourselves, and looking outward for validation.

A Call for Conscious Change

The antidote to this cultural malaise lies in radical authenticity and intentional living. It begins with reclaiming our attention - our most valuable resource - from the clutches of those who seek to profit from it. Examine who you follow, whose narratives you believe, and whose products you buy. How do they affect your beliefs and choices? Are you overlooking questionable behavior? If so, you’re not alone. People often turn a blind eye to narcissistic behavior, buying into phony facades due to manufactured appeal, as well as individual self-doubt, social pressure to “fit in,” fear of repercussions, denial, or even personal benefit from the association. What would happen if you started living true to what you genuinely feel is “right”—calling out the posers and abusers while choosing a life of conscious morality?

Supporting originality and authenticity is not just a personal act but a societal responsibility. Artists, creators, and small businesses are often the first to be exploited by larger entities, their innovations rebranded and sold back to us without credit or context. Respecting the origins of ideas and creations is a form of justice that we can all practice because we hold the power with every purchase, every like and every follow.

How to Protect Yourself from Societal Gaslighting

In today’s world, it’s easy to feel disoriented and manipulated by fake news, faux celebrity influence, and corporate deceptions. Below are five tips to stay grounded and informed:

Why It Matters

This is not just about rejecting toxic celebrity culture or boycotting corporations; it’s about understanding how superficiality has come to dominate our world, while redefining what we value as a society. Do we continue to idolize fabricated fame and excessive wealth at the expense of integrity and truth? Or do we choose to elevate voices that empower, uplift, and challenge us to think critically?

This subtle, even subconscious, rise of image-based deception has created a world where appearances are everything, but substance is challenging to find. It’s time to prioritize authenticity, support small businesses and creators who reflect genuine values, and foster a culture of accountability and transparency. Only then can we begin to lift the veil of deception plaguing our collective consciousness and brainwashing our youth.

Let’s be the generation that sees through these facades, and chooses truth over illusion. Let’s create a world where our quality of living thrives, and where the next generation is inspired not by glittering schemes but by the courage to live in alignment with their own truths, and respect the natural world. As Edmund Burke stated, "For evil to flourish, it only requires good men to do nothing."

**Excerpts from the book, Knock It Off!: Imitation Isn’t Flattering by Alanna Zabel