The sister theory to Pan-Apophenia, but focused on agency and design. It posits that every instance where we perceive intention, agency, or design—from seeing a face in a cloud to believing in a god, a conspiracy, or the guiding hand of the market—is an extended form of pareidolia. We are hardwired to see the "face" of an agent behind events, and we project this onto everything, mistaking random processes or complex systems for conscious actors.
Pan-Pareidolia Theory Example: "The 'invisible hand' of the market, God's plan, the deep state pulling the strings—it's all Pan-Pareidolia," argues a critic. "You're taking vastly complex, emergent systems with no central mind and your brain, craving a face, imagines a puppet master. You see a grin in the stock ticker and a scowl in the weather pattern."
by Abzugal Nammugal Enkigal February 6, 2026
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