a) it doesn't matter whatsoever what stands before the -ism; because the contract of belief (offer/consent) represents consent by free will to the offered -ism, after which (((those))) who made the offer, gain control not only over the -ism, but over ones free will of choice. Why? Because after one consent to any belief; one adheres to the belief (defined by others), while ignoring reality.

b) your "belief" in time is defined by the aforementioned ignorance towards reality, because we are not within time (affixed states of past, present and future); we are within constant motion (inception till death). "as old as" refers to you wanting others to define that which was to you, while you ignore that which is, which together represents the few controlling the ignorance of the many.

In short...the many believe in truth vs false (a conflict); the few adhere to if/then (reality based on motion). The former is called reasoning (a corruption of comprehension based on choice of ignorance), and controlled by the latter through talmudic reasoning, which teaches their followers to corrupt reason by offering nonstop contradictions, while being taught to adapt to information based on if/then (motion).

And yes...ignorance is as old as humanity, since we are defined by the free will of choice between ignorance or adherence to self sustenance within motion.

Edit: maybe this will help you comprehend...-isms represents the industrialization of the contract of belief (mind control by consenting to ignorance of reality in favor of fiction upheld mentally as beliefs).