The World Is Not Reality - It is a Collective Delusion

Walking on the street, you see the bustling crowd—some with hurried expressions, as if they might bump into you at any moment; others strolling leisurely, as though they have an endless afternoon to while away; and still others with their heads down, glued to their phones, as if the outside world has nothing to do with them.

Do you think this is reality? Do you truly believe that the world behind these footsteps and faces is the so-called "truth"?

Now, let’s play a strange game of imagination.

Suppose the entire city, the entire world, doesn’t exist as "real" as you assume. Instead, it’s just a collective delusion, a shared performance in which everyone participates. What if even all these people are figments of your imagination? Or, conversely, what if you are merely a refraction projected by them?

Sounds outrageous, doesn’t it? I imagine your first reaction might be: This guy is spouting nonsense! Are my eyes deceiving me?

But don’t rush to escape. First, allow yourself to feel that stunned bewilderment, as if a door in your mind has been violently kicked open, revealing a gray, empty space. You freeze there, wanting to peek inside but afraid of what you might see.

What lies behind that door? What does it mean that the world isn’t reality but a collective delusion? And why is it that the truly insane are not the so-called "madmen," but those who live "normally"?

If you’re willing to give yourself some time to explore, you might discover that in this gray emptiness lurks an indescribable secret. Once you take a step forward, you can never go back.

The Illusion of Normalcy

From childhood, we’ve been taught to adapt to reality, to stay grounded, to face facts, and not to daydream. These familiar guidelines seem to point unerringly in one unquestionable direction: seek truth, focus on the present, and life will become stable and secure.

So when I suggest that the world isn’t real but a collective delusion, you might instinctively refute: How could that be? We work, study, eat, sleep—these experiences are real. When I’m tired, I know I’m tired; when I’m hungry, I know I’m hungry. The rich relationships with friends and family—aren’t these tangible? Are you saying our minds are filled with lies?

Don’t jump to conclusions.

Think back: Have you ever had an incredibly vivid dream? Upon waking, you sit dazed on your pillow, unable to distinguish whether the emotions from the dream or reality feel more real. Have you ever cried uncontrollably in a dream, only to wake up in your comfortable bed, your heart still pounding? At that moment, you might feel relieved it was just a dream, yet the fear or hope felt undeniably real.

But on another level, it was just an illusion in your mind. The moment you open your eyes, the entire scene collapses as if it never existed.

Have you ever considered that what we call "real life" might also be such a dream—a dream within a dream? Except this dream is so vast that everyone is dreaming the same dream. In this shared dream, we have a common language, common rules, and a collective historical memory. That’s why we mutually confirm the seemingly unquestionable stability of this world.

But it could still be a grand dream—a collective projection spanning human civilization.

Who Defines Madness?

Doesn’t that sound a bit frightening? Most people in society dismiss it: Nonsense! Don’t overthink things. But the truth is often that the most liberating potentials lie in what is ignored, mocked, or condemned.

Many self-proclaimed rational people are, in fact, clinging to the most irrational obsessions. They believe in a fixed framework of reality, never truly questioning its foundations. They follow life’s script: graduate, get a job, marry, buy a house, raise children—all seemingly logical. But dig deeper:

Have you ever really thought about it?

Why did you choose your major? Why must you have a "respectable" job? Why must you follow this or that mainstream model? Why is sitting in an office from nine to five called "maturity," while wandering as a drifter is "unrealistic"? Why is eating the same food, doing the same things day after day called "diligence," while a wandering ascetic is "escaping reality"?

Where do these definitions come from?

Perhaps they’re from the rulebook of this grand dream. We cling to these rules day after day, as if they keep us from getting lost. But do you know what true lostness is? It’s being deeply entrenched in the rules while believing you’re awake.

The Paradox of Sanity

You’ve surely seen so-called "madmen." They might wander the streets muttering, talk to the air, or dress strangely. Society labels them as pathological, claiming they can’t distinguish reality from fantasy, needing treatment or isolation.

But have you ever considered that perhaps these "madmen" simply refuse to buy into your version of reality? They live outside your game’s rules, closer to their inner selves. Or maybe they’re truly lost—but the fact remains: they’re branded as mad because they don’t conform to the collective delusion.

Conversely, why do those who appear perfectly "normal" often commit the most inhuman acts?

A well-dressed, polite businessman might orchestrate a financial scheme that ruins thousands, yet he’s still a "pillar of society." An eloquent politician might order wars that kill innocents while shouting "for justice"—yet they’re seen as leaders, even heroes.

So what is true madness? What is true rationality? Who gets to define it?

You’ll find the world’s standards are absurd. From a certain angle, those who break the collective consensus are labeled insane, while the truly insane might be those who’ve adapted to the absurd order.

The Wisdom of the "Awake"

Why are the majority wrong? You might ask: Isn’t consensus truth? How can so many people be mistaken?

You must realize: truth isn’t determined by majority vote. A large number only means their thought patterns are similar, not that their narrative is closer to truth.

Think of history’s prophets, saints, and awakeners. They were attacked, punished, and mocked by the masses—some even crucified or burned alive. Yet in hindsight, the truths they spoke slowly revealed themselves, even becoming celebrated wisdom.

Why?

Because when collective delusion firmly grips most minds, it will exclude all dissent—whether truly mad, fake mad, or truly wise. When all fish in the sea believe the water is fresh, the one who tastes salt is branded a heretic. Only when the ocean itself changes do they realize: We’ve been deceiving ourselves all along.

The Path to True Freedom

Traditions like Zen, Taoism, and the teachings of Osho—often deemed heretical—tell us in the plainest language: See through society’s illusions. Break free from external expectations and turn inward to discover your original self.

Philosophers say, I think, therefore I am. But a Zen master might suddenly strike you and ask: Who is thinking? Who is the "I" that thinks?

You assume you’re thinking, but thought itself may be an illusion. The mind is a restless machine, constantly absorbing information to reinforce your assumptions about reality. So what is your true existence?

Can you observe your thoughts like a bystander, without being dragged by them? Can you face bare existence without rushing to label it?

Osho said: You have so-called knowledge, but it isn’t true wisdom. True wisdom comes from emptiness, from the infinite sky.

A student once asked his Zen master: I’ve learned many truths, but I’m still unhappy. Do I need to learn more?

The master smiled: Forget everything you’ve learned.

This isn’t about becoming ignorant but seeing that the concepts, definitions, and rules piled in your mind are often part of the collective delusion. They bind your senses and spirit, forcing you to see the world through rigid lenses.

Only when you dare to let these mental constructs collapse can you truly grasp the profundity of: All phenomena are illusory, created by the mind.

Breaking Free Without Escaping

To challenge tradition seems dangerous—like leaping from a high building. You fear falling, but you might discover you can fly.

Most people are wrong. The "happiness" they chase is just another fantasy defined by others. You must be wealthy, respected, well-connected—then you’ll be admired. But who said admiration means you’re closer to truth?

Have you seen those who seem successful yet lie awake at night, terrified their achievements will vanish? Those in power, paranoid about betrayal? In a way, they’re more trapped in fear and delusion than the poor but simple.

We rush through life, mistaking the dream for reality.

Perhaps you should ask: What is true freedom and happiness? Is it blindly chasing what others tell you to want?

Most beliefs form this way: seeing others scramble for fame and fortune, we join the race. Even the pursuit of "freedom" becomes a trend—buying self-help books, doing yoga, chanting about decentralization. We think we’re liberated, but it’s just the collective delusion in trendier packaging.

True freedom is daring to question everything society has fed you. It’s asking:

• Is this decision truly mine, or am I afraid of social rejection?
• Do I pursue this goal out of love, or to fill an inner void?

When you start reflecting this way, you’re not entangled in society’s empty drama but conversing with your deepest self. In that moment, you’ll feel a flicker of true freedom—like surfacing for air after being underwater.

You’ll care less about possessions, others’ opinions. You’ll no longer rush to follow the crowd because you’ll hear your inner voice whisper: I am here.

The Wealth of the "Awake"

Look back at the anxious crowds, still scrambling to prove their existence. They may have impressive résumés but no inner peace. They may be rich but soul-starved.

Outward success and inner awakening are two different things. A penniless monk sitting by a stream, watching clouds, might possess unshakable inner wealth. Society calls him a failure, but he’s richer than the "successful" toiling in skyscrapers—because he’s closer to his heart.

Most define happiness externally, but true happiness is internal and unconditional. In meditation, you don’t need higher pay, prettier looks, or applause. You just need to be fully present—that awareness is happiness itself.

Yet in this noisy world, such states are deemed "useless" because they can’t be monetized. We’ve been lost so long we mistake the monk’s serenity for laziness.

We think we’re normal, but we’re trapped in the grand dream.

Living Awake in the World

You might ask: Do I have to abandon everything and meditate in the mountains to escape this delusion?

If that calls to you, go ahead. But true awakening isn’t about outward imitation. You can be a practitioner in the city; even neon lights can illuminate the mind.

Conversely, hiding in the mountains while your inner turmoil continues just shifts the location of your suffering.

True freedom is inner awareness—the ability not to blindly follow external scripts. This doesn’t mean rejecting society. You can still work, live, and interact, but your heart won’t be dragged by the collective delusion.

You’ll play your roles—employee, wanderer, dreamer—knowing they’re just flowing patterns. You’ll engage without being bound.

This is what Taoism calls wu wei—doing nothing, yet leaving nothing undone.

The Beauty of the Dream

Some might protest: If everyone lives in their subjective world, how can we communicate?

But the opposite is true. Only when you see the world as a shared dream can you truly empathize—understanding others’ fears and passions without being provoked by their judgments.

You won’t rush to "fix" anyone, knowing awakening is a personal journey. Like a flower blooming at its own pace, forcing it open is arrogance.

The Question to Carry Forward

If this is all a dream, does anything we pursue matter?

Paradoxically, precisely because the world is impermanent, you should live more vividly, authentically, and purely. If it’s a collective dream, why not dance wildly in it?

You can still work, create, and help others—just without the torment of If I fail, I’m worthless. Cherish each moment without clinging to outcomes.

This is "life as a play," but it doesn’t diminish your passion. You’ll no longer fiercely defend an identity or rigidly divide success from failure. The world is a flowing melody—no ultimate winner exists.

The Practice of Awareness

How to stay awake without falling back into the dream?

I won’t prescribe methods—that would just become another dogma. But here’s a hint:

Ask yourself daily:

• Am I striving out of fear or creative impulse?
• Am I connecting with others or seeking validation?
• Are my outbursts truly about boundaries or just ego dramas?

Each question shines light into your subconscious. The more aware you are, the easier it is to spot delusion’s shadows and release them.

The Final Revelation

You might ask: Then what is the truth?

I don’t know. Perhaps there’s no ultimate answer. Truth may be ever-evolving.

All you can do is stay aware, flowing with the present. You’ll have highs and lows, but they’re just waves—you’re the ocean.

Realizing the world is a collective delusion doesn’t make you cold or nihilistic. Instead, it brings compassion and joy. Knowing it’s a dream softens conflicts and loosens grip.

Because it’s a dream, you can live fully—embracing, speaking, loving—without the shackles of right and wrong.

The Invitation

As we end, I leave you with a question:

Will you carry this absurd, profound idea—the world isn’t real but a collective delusion—into your daily life?

Tonight, you’ll still scroll on your phone, stress about work, wonder why you’re paying a mortgage. But I hope, amidst these worries, you’ll pause and remember our talk—that door kicked open, the gray emptiness behind it.

What is real? What is eternal beyond illusion?

You don’t need immediate answers. Let the question echo like a seed quietly sprouting.

You’re already more awake than before. True change brews in these small awakenings.

One day, you might suddenly understand—laughing or crying—Ah, so this is it.

But what "it" is, only you will know.

May we meet again on this path, smile at that door, and journey deeper together.

How strange, wondrous, and bewildering it is to be human.

May you dream well in this dream—and sometimes, truly wake up.