Been having more discussions with the nuclear famjam lately, luckily they are awake now. A few weeks ago I tried explaining to them about living in a "Matrix" - fits well with your examples.

What if you were born into a system that was already coded/programmed for you? Those in power have influenced and manipulated day to day life and we don't question it. Who says there are 7 days in a week, 12 months in a year, count with a numeral system with a base of 10/60, when holidays are celebrated, where your name comes from?

Then mentioned that there are updates to the "code" like updating the system from the Julian Calendar --> Gregorian Calendar, updated financial systems, religions, languages etc.

Concluded with the fact that the "codes" or "systems" that we live in were not organic. Someone outside the system wrote them and we follow without questioning it (Dogma). However, there will be a point where we are the ones that help write the code for the new "system".