Psychology is known as the observation and prediction of human behavior.
As a psychologist, denial is a fascinating thing to watch. It is a strategy we use to protect our emotions when we feel we do not have the capability to cope with the truth.
For example, we recently experienced the driest year (2021) in the Western United States in 1200 years (Journal of Nature Climate Change). Moreover, the direction of increasing droughts cannot be reversed. There are not enough cooling ice masses left to cool the planet.
Many studies have also concluded that 2/3 or more of our COVID deaths could have been avoided if our government had not denied the virus in the beginning - that's 600,000 people that could be alive today had we the courage to face truth.
As in most cases of denial, the situation does not go away as we hope, but continues to escalate until we can no longer ignore it. Many will need to continue to block awareness in order to deal with their anxiety about coping with reality. Thankfully, others have confidence they can face real challenges and do something positive to influence what hurts people.
The oceans have risen about 12 inches in the last 100 years. We are at a pace now that it will only take 30 years to rise the next foot (National Oceanic and Atmoshereic Administration). Since 40% of the US population live on the Coast, people there are impacted faster than those in the middle of the country ($40 billion damage expected, to be paid by rising insurance premiums and tax dollars).
If there's ever a time for love (actually its always been a time for love), it is now. Empathy is being able to understand the experiences of others without having to experience them ourselves. It's being willing to be educated about what's going on around us, even though it may not yet affect us directly. (In Boston Harbor, for example, contractors erect buildings on hydraulic pillars so the buildings can be raised as the ocean level rises.)
It is not helpful to judge those in denial, for we are all doing the best we can with the skills and awareness we have. Hats off though, to those who are aware, and do what's necessary to improve humanity while others remain unable to face what is.
As the old song goes, "Love, love, love, that's what it's all about!" Today, I salute those who are paying attention and care enough to act reponsibly in a time of true need. I appeciate you. :-)
