Reality Check

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Why do folks refuse to accept reality? Humans use denial as a coping mechanism and that can be both good and bad. Look at it as a means for the mind, brain, to allow one time to adjust to a situation. This applies as long as that situation does not involve violence then we have to train to trigger necessary methods for that type of issue.

When we use denial over a long haul then it can become dangerous. Denial is a construct in psychology that describes how we deal with reality constructs. This is called our defense mechanism. It is the way humans often defend against anxieties. When we experience a lot of anxiety and it is perceived as a threat, then we tend to create or develop strategies to protect ourselves and our sense of security and safety. 

The simplest form is to "simply deny" whatever we perceive as a threat even exists, i.e., "that is a hoax, it does not exist, OR THE MORE DANGEROUS, It cannot happen to me.“ Rationalization is not denial but a way to explain away or diminish the threat as the source of our anxiety. You may say that the threat exists but that "it can't happen to me" to minimize it. The less information on any given issue the greater the perceived threat, etc., so the trigger is greater to deny or to rationalize. Another reason why I advocate the more academic side of self-protection because creating a brain data-base, memories if you will, of information/facts about things like violence and aggression will provide you the data that will reduce the effects of rationalization and denial. 

Both denial and rationalization are considered to be maladaptive, meaning they don't help the individual adapt to the source of the threat. It can actually expose them to an even greater chance of whatever that threatening thing is. If the severity of the situation is high enough then the result could be grave harm or death. We don't want to bury our head in the sand by denying that it is happening. 

These constructs develop in children and are typically reinforced by parents or guardians. By about the age of 6 or 7, a child is able to make sense of what's fact and what's fiction, but in our culture, fiction is reinforced, often with parents and children. You know that there's a Santa Claus and an Easter Bunny. Some of that is part of development and it helps children with fantasy, and fantasy can be a good thing. But sometimes, we see it can become extreme. - Mark Whitmore/Eve Whitmore

When adults have been raised in an environment where unfounded beliefs were a part of their upbringing, they are much more likely to believe in conspiracy theories and hoaxes. They also tend to make decisions based on hunches and preconceived ideas and biases as opposed to using factual information. - Mark Whitmore/Eve Whitmore

Then we have to deal with "confirmation bias" where you create a bubble of others that believe as you do and then you all search out information that supports the groups beliefs. After all, reality is beliefs and what we believe is our reality. 

Once you and others begin to escalate the intensity of that information in stages they then more fully accept it and achieve control over it. Once that control is set and they feel safe and secure even actual factually based data cannot sway them from their beliefs no matter how true that info is. 

Herein lies the trouble with humans, we can be our own worst enemies because some of these beliefs and cultural/social influences born of these beliefs tend to exacerbate them causing us to refuse to learn about things like violence and aggression thus assuming our efforts will simply make them go away. But, they won’t because they are as much a part of human beings as the sun rising in the east and setting in the west. 

Learn as much as you can, exchange that learning with others, discuss them and test them out and then file them away in your minds data-base, memories, so that when, IF, you encounter the uncomfortable you can handle them appropriately to the benefit of yourself, others and society. 

This, and many other aspects and concepts, are critical to self-protection regardless of its source as we are seeing in today’s media. 

For reference and sources and professionals go here: Bibliography (Click the link)