That could be the case with the majority of them. But the leaders - the ones who really understand the whole narrative (cuz its just a block of imaginery stories mixed up in a really convincing way) are quite aware of everything thats happening. The mental disorder and the phychological problems can be understood as the fuel for the pawns-low ranking politicians, the fuel that drives the big ones is simply logic. Logical decisions as to what is necessary for the survival of the selected ones over the rest. Thats the thing that most people dont get:
In the end of the day it all comes down to who will survive or not. Ideologies, ethics etc are just cognitive fuel to pump up people and bypass their biological urge for survival and eventually getting killed for something they believe in. Famous examples of that would be nations,religions,monetary system etc. And guess who doesnt believe in any of them.
Its a big club, but you are not part of it. Not me, and certainly not the vast majority of humanity.
But somehow they always seem to make us believe the we are all humans story. We are, but not all have an invitation to Noah's boat. ;)