Every civilization, the unknown once said, is based on denial, denial, denial. Freud once expressed the view that people go into a state of denial in order to protect their mental health, trying to avoid realities that could damage the inner person. Some say that denial is a self-defense, which allows a person to avoid the unwanted aspect of reality or personality. No matter what the ideology is, there is no doubt that everyone denies something and that this denial can be an important part of maintaining a stable mental health. However, the latest evidence is starting to come up with what some have always suspected: denial affects emotional health and relationships too, and not in a harmful way.
According to Michael McCullough, psychologist and author of the upcoming book “Beyond Revenge: The Evolution of the Forgiveness Instinct,” denial is all part of a social game. The ability to actively and unwittingly ignore minor setbacks and shortcomings that are evident to us and to others is clearly a key element of our ability to maintain good relations with others. Obviously, if people did not get into the “denial mode” when they were confronted with something about someone they did not feel comfortable with or dislike, people would effectively and quickly disconnect all contact with that person. The fact that people seem to be psychologically connected to do this for themselves and others at all times at the level of ignorance helps to force how important denial is to the mental, emotional, and social framework that people build around them.
Denial is seen and plays an interesting role in a person's moral compass. Recently a study was conducted to see how much dishonesty a person can do without feeling dishonest about it. Students are given a simple test, with some students receiving answer sheets marked part of the answers. Research shows that students often do not know how honest they really are, many of whom feel that they are completely dishonest. There were, however, a few who felt that they were cheating, but only to a certain extent. The conclusion they draw is that, as long as people can find a way to deny that something is wrong or happening, then they can pretend nothing happened.
However, there is another level of denial that people play, which is to admit it little by little. In fact, this section can be summed up in the words, "I've seen that, but I'll let it slip." There are, of course, a variety of possible reasons for someone to do this. To a large extent, this is associated with an effort to maintain current relationships by avoiding conflict or conflict, especially when the relationship in question is already frozen.
This, like the previous form, arises from the psychological need to maintain good communication with the people around you. Some evolutionists associate this process with the human race in the first place, where people find ways to avoid responding to other people by not being able to offer help. There is a limit to this kind of thinking, yes, but as long as the mind can create logical doubts, then people will form a reasonable doubt. So, in the end, the one mentioned above might be right. Every civilization can be built on denial, denial, denial.
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