Belief Structures

Lex Fridman has discussed the concept of belief structures with Aella in his podcast. Aella shared insights on how psychedelics can influence belief construction. She explained that psychedelics might burn away existing belief structures, potentially leading some individuals to aggressively pattern match and create new beliefs to fill the gaps, like perceiving time differently or believing in time loops. Others might not construct new beliefs at all, simply experiencing the absence of the former belief which can be beneficial 1.

Aella further elaborated on "frame control," a technique where beliefs are manipulated to reinforce themselves. She noted that certain beliefs can be structured to make doubting them seem like further proof of their validity, commonly seen in cults. For example, if someone believes Satan creates doubt, doubting Satan’s existence paradoxically reinforces the belief in Satan. This creates a self-reinforcing loop, making it hard to escape those belief structures 2.

These discussions highlight the complexity of how belief structures can be intentionally or unintentionally shaped and reinforced.