"如何使人们相信一个想象的秩序如基督教、民主或资本主义？首先，你永远不能承认这个秩序是想象的"

The quote is basically saying that to get people to truly believe in a big idea or system, you can’t ever let on that it’s something we've collectively made up. Let’s break this down a bit and see why it makes so much sense.

Throughout history, many of the systems and beliefs we hold onto—whether it's religion, political systems, or economic theories—are, at their core, constructs of human imagination. These aren't tangible things you can touch or see. Christianity, for example, is based on shared beliefs and stories. Democracy hinges on a collective agreement on certain principles of governance. Capitalism is built on trust in markets and value exchange. These constructs work because we all agree they do, and we don’t usually question their fundamental nature.

Let's take a step back to when and why this might have been said. This idea comes from the book "Sapiens" by Yuval Noah Harari. Harari discusses how human societies function and thrive based on shared myths and stories. This isn’t to say that these ideas are false or meaningless—quite the contrary. They’re powerful precisely because we all buy into them. And to keep that power intact, we rarely, if ever, discuss them as "imagined."

Now, consider a real-life example: money. Think about the last time you bought coffee. You handed over a few pieces of paper or swiped a card. That paper or digital transaction was accepted in exchange for a hot cup of caffeine. Why? Because we all believe in the value of money. If someone suddenly announced that money has no real value—it's just paper or digital blips—chaos might ensue. The economy could collapse because the shared belief holding it together has been shattered.

Applying this wisdom in our lives means understanding the power of shared beliefs and working within those frameworks. If you’re a leader or someone who wants to implement change, present your ideas with confidence. Don’t point out that they’re just ideas. Frame them as the next logical step in a journey everyone is already invested in. If you’re trying to improve company culture, for example, talk about the mission and values as if they’re inherent truths, not just slogans.

Imagine you're part of a startup. The company is young and unproven, but every team meeting, your CEO talks about the mission as if it's a given: "We're revolutionizing the way people interact with technology." They don’t say, “We hope we can” or “We think we might.” They speak with certainty. This gets everyone on board, working towards the shared goal, even if, beneath it all, it's a constructed vision.

In essence, this approach isn't about deception; it’s about belief. Every great movement, every significant societal change, started with a group of people believing in an idea so strongly that they never questioned its validity. And that's the magic—keeping the imagined order alive by treating it as absolute.

So next time you’re trying to rally people around a cause or an idea, remember: speak with conviction. Don’t let on that it’s something you just thought up. Present it as the path forward, the vision everyone can share. That’s how you turn imagination into reality.