Absolutely, wobble. Cognitive Dissonance builds up over time. One event or thought doesn't bring down the Borg in a person, a compilation of thoughts and events does.
Some have likened it to the filing system of the mind. You take all the good thoughts that confirm your beliefs (confirmation bias) and file them in the appropriate place to be called upon whenever you want them. The thoughts that cannot be twisted into confirmation of your beliefs are placed on a shelf, where you attempt to ignore them (cognitive dissonance). Eventually the shelf becomes too full to ignore; stuff falls off it into your consciousness and then you turn your attention to it to put things back in their place. It is at this time, often, that the entire contents of the shelf come tumbling down on you and you wake up and acknowledge reality. You no longer relieve cognitive dissonance by ignoring it but by changing your beliefs to conform to reality.
This visual experiment is a great idea. If anyone gets a really good picture taken, I'd like a .jpg of it please.