4.0 – Introduction to The Models — What They Are and Why They Matter

We grow up inside systems we didn’t choose.

From early on, we’re taught what’s “right,” what’s “mature,” what’s “strong,” or “successful.”

But many of these ideas aren’t truths.

They’re models—social templates that shape how we behave, how we judge others, and how we hide from ourselves.

These models don’t come from emotional health.

They come from control. From hierarchy. From survival.

We call them False Models because they reward emotional disconnection—not clarity.

They teach us to perform instead of belong, to obey instead of think, to dominate instead of relate.

Most of us don’t even realize we’re following them.

We just learn what’s expected. And we adapt.

But if we want real connection—real safety—we need to name what we’ve internalized.

What Is a False Model?

A False Model is a system of belief and behavior that:

• Looks socially acceptable on the surface
• But reinforces emotional distortion underneath
• And ultimately protects power, not people

False models are often invisible because they’ve been normalized.

They hide behind values like “respect,” “discipline,” “strength,” or “neutrality.”

But if you look closely, you’ll see they’re about control—not care.

Why We Categorize Them

To understand them clearly, we group these distortions into six False Models:

• The Performance Model — Success based on appearance, not emotional truth.
• The Obedience Model — Confusing submission with respect.
• The Punishment Model — Harm justified as “deserved” correction.
• The Dominance Model — Power as strength, empathy as weakness.
• The Entitlement Model — Belief that some have inherent rights to control others.
• The Roles Model — You are who others need you to be—not who you really are.

Each of these models affects how we see ourselves, how we treat others, and what kinds of harm get normalized in our culture.

By making them visible, we can begin to break free.

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Where This Fits in TEG‑Blue

This framework connects directly with:

• Map Level 1 – The Emotional Gradient Framework

(How safety shapes our behavior.)

• Map Level 7 – How Tyrants Are Made Framework

(How false models create the conditions for manipulation and tyranny.)

These models don’t just show up in governments or institutions.

They show up in parenting. In classrooms. In friendships. In our own self-talk.

Naming them is the first step to healing from them.