I agree the path of pain is built-in, but that's not the same thing as a plan. Gravity causes certain things to occur in certain situations. So does the Law of Freedom. The path of pain is the inevitable result of choosing to hide from your predicament, just as dropping an egg will inevitably end in a mess. It's not necessarily a plan.
I was once one with the group-mind, and my escape was aided by people who had already done so themselves. What can happen once can happen again (and again, etc.), so it's my responsibility to pay it forward.
I like your optimism. Optimism may be all we've got.
Good luck with it all.