I had questions for you that you left unanswered. Why did you prefer not to answer them?
Without going into the details of your answer, I would like to know what you understand by the term "interpretation".
Because you speak of what you refer to me as my "statements" and "claims", why don't you use "interpretation", since that is what I did with above text; I interpreted part of my culture.
I will go into more detail on other aspects of your comment.
I use the word interpretation below. I use all too many words, and create walls of text trying to accurately state what I mean and not leave inaccurate interpretations available.
I had actually wanted to discuss 'potential to be aware of' our thoughts, because I don't really think we do have that potential, but veered off as I did, and felt that the wall of text I produced was more than enough. But, to that point, I don't think we really have much understanding of who we are and what we think in terms of our consciousness. I think the sense that we are singular is absolutely incorrect, and that our consciousnesses are a collective event with many millions, perhaps many billions, of participants. I think a lot of our thoughts are thought by those other participants, and we have no opportunity to be aware of them.
I saw this in a dream, so can't think of any way to test it. However, I have read papers that claimed our gut fauna participate in our consciousness, contributing to our dietary decisions, so there is some basis for corroborating my claim we are a collective, albeit their claim is that we're also multiple species. I am certain sure that I am not alone in knowing that my mind is fully active (and has a very different understanding of reality) when I'm asleep. I'm just busy and non-responsive, and usually prevented from recalling my dreams, and I think this is the same for all people. In my dream I am only one of these many participants in my consciousness, and not even the top guy. I have no idea why I'm the guy that has to have my memory wiped every night and walk around all day unaware of all the things I know about me when I'm asleep, but I do know I'm pissed off about being mind wiped every morning, because I broke the veil of nonrecollection deliberately in that dream, which is why I remember it.
I guess the best way for you to test this claim I am making is to violate the nonrecollection rule during your next dream, as I did, by jumping out of the silvery bubble of nonrecollection we're supposed to stay in. That was about a week ago, so they/I didn't fire me and replace me with me. You may not like what you find out though. I was arguing with a boss when I jumped. I do not like not being the boss of me, TBQH. Although, the boss was also me...
Collective consciousness can be a little confusing to talk about.
I'm such a rebel.
I come back to my very first response in which I said that this is a "fatalistic" way of seeing humans.
So, as a consequence I can give up on every perception I think I have, for I am anyway a puppet towards collectiveness. If true or not, it still leaves me with the thought: Why bother at all and when I die, I really don't care if anyone wants to have some kind of ceremony, or wake or farewell, uttered in a cultural context, which anyway cannot be tested wrong or right. It leaves me actually without anything to cope. I am so sorry to hear/say that.
It plays right into the likeness of those you probably call "overlords", who do not adhere to any rule whatsoever but claim they do, and for the best of humanity. It's what my mom called "godless".
I am unable to grasp how this follows from the idea that we aren't fully informed and independent. Rather, such perceptions as I am availed I then regard as that much more valuable because of my awareness I am incapable of perceiving so much that exists. Since so much of what exists is imperceptible to me, implications inherent in my perceptions of what I can perceive are then all I can have of the rest of what exists, and therefore gain import in my mind, not that I find my lack of perception demoralizing and discouraging.
That limitation of my capacity is what it is, and my response is to reduce my expectations of my competence commensurately, while undertaking to be as competent as is possible to me.
Oh, I can certainly relate to that and I agree, very much so, that I am aware of my limitations. I don't see anything I could say against that. I count this as self-knowledge.