We’ve Hit Peak Denial. Here’s Why We Can’t Turn Away From Reality

One could just as easily argue that millions have died and trillions of dollars wasted from fear of phantom menaces, some of which are referenced in the article.

 

I wouldn't say it's denial so much as a vast array of fundamental values. To give a couple of small examples, the people most interested in saving sea turtles are not wondering where their next meal is coming from. The person praying that their car will survive another trip to work because they can't afford to get it fixed or purchase a more reliable car is not worried about emissions or that pesky oil leak. If you can't project 2 weeks into the future of your life, you can't reasonably be expected to project 5-10 years into the future of your life, let alone your children's or your children's children.

Go GATORS!
,WESGATORS

 

Tell that to the people who keep trying to make the deficit an issue

 

Some interesting ideas. Reminds me of this book. The premise is if we just focus inward on our own wellness, we risk allowing the world to go to hell.

I think @lacuna has mentioned the documentary, The Century of the Self which I understand has a similar theme at least in part.

p.s of course, I disagree that the world has gotten worse over the last 100 years, but their pt still stands

 

That or the fact that people feel like there isn’t anything they can do to make a direct impact and if it doesn’t directly affect them why spend time and energy or worry on it.

 

Right now many people don't have the luxury to worry about things that do not effect them personally... something the Dems just don't seem to understand. Yes, making ends meet is all time consuming than all that other stuff in the news.

Don't count on those two subjects to be top concerns for must Americans in this coming election cycle.

 

While it's certainly not a fine line, but at some point, we move from (or should move from) solely or primarily focusing on our individual well-being to focusing on our community well-being and beyond. How much time do we spend reaching out to others in the community in a helpful capacity? How much time do we spend getting to know our local politics and trying to understand how they work and how we can be involved? How much time do we spend following our favorite sports teams? How much time do we spend playing video games? Do the people who feel like there isn't anything they can do feel that way because of all the effort they have expended and yet didn't find any way to be productive? Or are they not sure where they can start to seek to make even the smallest changes to just get a foot in the door to have a better understanding?

Go GATORS!
,WESGATORS

 

Was that book written by Scientologists?

 

We live in an economic system which is basically against the concept of community and society to begin with, and would prefer that people act as atomized individuals pursuing self-interest, whether its employing labor, working or consumption. The dominant forces in our lives are very much hostile to the idea to begin with and are arrayed to make that difficult, expensive and time consuming (you dont get paid to be part of the community, you get paid to work). People certainly do look for community as that is a very human thing to do, but all too often from a position of alienation.

 

Give a church another look…

 

"Religion is, indeed, the self-consciousness and self-esteem of man who has either not yet won through himself, or has already lost himself again."

Anyways, if you are asking me, I'm not sure turning to religion is embracing "reality" - perhaps the opposite for many people. But that probably depends on the Church.

 

Depending on the church, it could offer balance to the problem you’ve described above.
People certainly can find community there.

 

This is an interesting glimpse into the 21st century American mind. The primary concern of the article is the suffering that we are blind to. The specific examples include:

• War in Gaza and Sudan
• COVID: Most got flu symptoms and recovered
• Climate Change: It is hotter than normal outside
• Mass shootings at schools
• Democracy is under attack
• Mental health issues

​

War is suffering and school shootings are terrible tragedies. I 100% agree with that. The article then says we are like frogs being boiled who are unaware of our impending demise that will be brought about by fascism and climate change.

What is the solution? Read and watch more media to have your mind reformed so that you can be on guard. That is the solution proposed by the author of the article. Because without reforming your mind you will be doomed to an ignorant demise.

An interesting way to analyze that article is to compare its narrative to the Biblical narrative. War, disease, harmful climate events, violence, corrupt government, and mental brokenness are a result of sin, which is rebellion against God. These are warnings of a future much more severe judgment, which amount to the final demise of those who do not heed these warnings. The Bible very similarly says we need to read and meditate on God's word daily so that we can properly be on guard against the enemy so that we will not face a future demise due to the ignorance that is within us.

The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe. -Proverbs 29:25​

 

Working is part of community. Whether you are an employer or an employee.

 

The irony is the authors of the piece are in peak denial…

 

That's a really sad thing to say, and I don't think that is a typical work experience now

 

Hey, we're just human beings, destined to destroy ourselves. With nuclear arsenals in the hands of people like Vladimir Putin, Kim Jong Un, probably Donald Trump, and their successors, what chance does civilization have to survive? Throw in Artificial Intelligence, which as I understand it is out to kill us if nothing else will.

Right now they're working hard to get World War III started in the Middle East. Over what? Pure unadulterated human hatred. And all of the world powers will of course take sides, wanting to get a share of the hatred.

Meanwhile all that the news people in this country seem to care about right now is two old men debating each other on TV this Thursday.

 

How do you support your community? Sitting around doing nothing? Or actually engaging and providing for it?

What is sad…is that you do not understand how to make your community better apparently.