Maybe it's as simple as that old saw about how blind people perceive elephants. In bits and pieces. Could it be?.

So an elephant is a trunk or a tail or the ivory or the hoof or the skin. When your perception is nil or skewed and limited you see only what you are able to see. Only the unblind can see the entire elephant and accurately describe it. The trunk is imposing the tail is cute the ivory is very valuable the skin is tough. When you "see" only partially your comprehension is inadequate. But you don't know that. So when someone comes along and describes the entire elephant you won't believe it. I guess that makes sense.