This was a great read.

Korzybski's quote "the map is not the territory" comes to mind - as it keeps coming to mind the more I read here on Medium!

Since noticing this tendency, I've been consciously reluctant to wrap reality up in my thinking. Mostly because I noticed certain things I'd be thinking give me cause to avoid some aspects of reality too, in favour of clinging to that "inner narrative."

https://s3.amazonaws.com/media.greatplacetowork.com/images/ladder.jpg

This image is the ladder of inference. The "reflexive loop" would be the process I mention here. Helpers and adversaries, as you say - a double-edged sword.

Thanks for sharing.