by Brett Stevens on August 13, 2014

We are our minds. Or rather, we perceive ourselves and our world through our minds, so what we see of reality is composed of thought-objects. The sensible among us try to get as close to approximating reality with those as possible.

In our minds, a force greater than gravity exists and holds sway. That force is denial. Denial enables us to selectively “switch off” awareness of certain facts or issues. When we go into denial, we sacrifice long-term truth that upsets us for short-term function. Originally, this helped us survive traumatic events by taking them “one day at a time.” Now it helps us ignore the consequences of our actions because these results are too complex and upsetting for us.

The problem with denial arose when we domesticated it. As with most of our instincts, denial becomes a problem after we civilize it and socialize it. At that point, it becomes a choice; because we are equal, it becomes an equal choice, meaning that any option is as good as any other. This equality of choices convinces us that consequences are irrelevant and the choice itself is all that matters, as if it were symbolic and not part of reality. People see no harm in going into denial because to them it is a choice that is part of their personal appearance and emotional reaction to life, not an act which can cause bad things to happen.

As a result, in humanity for at least the past 2,000 years denial has become the primary civil right. You can choose to pay attention to reality or you can withdraw and no one will criticize you for it. In order to protect this right, our ancestors forced upon us the principle of democracy so that an ignorant and denial-laden opinion would be equal to an informed one. This way, denial received the protection of law and culture. In the witless wisdom of those who are tired, they believed that this would “eliminate conflict” and allow us to live together. Instead, it has allowed the insanity of denial to dominate over all else.

Denial gains its power from the fact that truth is like a string of firecrackers. Once one goes, the rest go. The first firecracker is denial itself. Once that explodes, people have to start noticing other things. Like how our society has degenerated in power. How the West is committing suicide. How we are surrounded by ugliness and hidden enemies. How our viewpoints are based in assumptions that conceal socially unacceptable truths. How most people care about nothing beyond themselves. How “last times” it all feels, this suicide of the West.

Although many insist that the task before us is mystifyingly difficult, I suggest that most tasks are in actuality exactly as they appear. We must deny denial and put an emphasis on truth-based and reality-based thinking. The wise, savvy moderns will respond with “Well who decides?” and the answer is those who are competent to, which excludes anyone who responds with that question. The point is not method, it is goal. Our goal is truth, health, wisdom and perpetuity. We find that by denying denial and focusing on reality.

Tags: denial, equality, heat death, solipsism

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