Lebensluge

I've just finished reading Ward Just's Forgetfulness, wherein the author uses the word Lebensluge multiple times to refer to a German concept of one's "life lie."

I was able to determine that Lebensluge is indeed a word, found in the Dictionary of Psychology by Raymond J. Corsini. The dictionary actually gives two meanings for the term, loosely as follows: (1) The false believe that one's life is bound to fail due to people or circumstances beyond one's control. (2) A false belief around which a person builds their life.

Ward Just's Forgetfulness employs the latter definition. Thomas, the narrator, expounding on the concept...

"Every society needed people to do their dirty work, taking care to keep the worst of it out of sight, unacknowledged, and deniable."

Somewhere in that reverie he also decides that "Lebensluge ... was probably in first position." What a horrible concept! The more I thought on this, the more I realized that it is true. How often do we ignore the less savory aspects of life in this world, simply to keep our own equilibrium. I can't deal with that, I'll think about that later, Someone else will deal with that.

We believe the lies that other people feed us, ignoring the hardwired instinctive truths of our bodies, brains, and souls?

I am unsettled by this idea, but I realized something important. If we all have our own Lebensluge - what is mine? How do I keep it from interfering with everyone else? Lebensluge has an important role to play in my writing as well - what are my characters' Life Lies, and how can I give that information to the reader to help color their understanding?