Denial is an integral part of atrocity
Here is a short
quiz for you. Ready?
- What’s the current situation with Lindsay Lohan’s rehab?
- Who won the latest “Dancing With the Stars”?
- Name five celebrities with “baby bumps.”
- Explain how the Cypriot banking crisis could impact the European economy.
If you answered
the first three questions but are clueless on the fourth, you’re in good
company. Estimates are that up to half the population in America is ignorant
about the situation in Cyprus. Oh sure, they hear snippets on the evening news,
but since it’s far away and happening to other people, they don’t worry about
it.
These people are
suffering from a Normalcy Bias.
Just what is a
Normalcy Bias? Wikipedia defines it as a mental state that “causes people
to underestimate both the possibility of a disaster occurring and its possible
effects.” It’s sometimes called the “It can’t happen here” syndrome. The
assumption is that since a particular disaster has never occurred before, it
never will. Any disturbing indications that something bad may happen are
dismissed or trivialized.
Originally, the
Normalcy Bias referred solely to natural disasters. The scale of devastation
and societal disruption from Hurricane Katrina can be attributed in part to a
Normalcy Bias – the refusal of the people of New Orleans to believe their
beloved city could ever receive a direct hit from a major hurricane, despite
its physical vulnerabilities. I distinctly remember seeing a live news report
from New Orleans on the evening of Aug. 28, 2005, that showed people partying
in the street with a (then) Category 4 hurricane hours away from landfall.
Disaster? Nah. It can’t happen here. Gimme another beer.
But the Normalcy
Bias has been extended to include political and social disasters as well. The
most extreme example is Jews (and to an extent, some Germans) during the reign
of the Nazis. Despite all the warning signs, many people remained in denial.
Concentration camps? Genocide? Nah. Too crazy. It can’t happen here.
When we hear the
mainstream media assuring us in soothing, condescending tones that we’re in an
economic “recovery” – despite all evidence to the contrary – we want
desperately to believe them. We don’t want anything to disrupt our ordinary,
comfortable lives. We genuinely believe that if we cling to our normal way of
life and habitual methods of doing things – despite overwhelming proof that
something dangerous is looming – then everything will be OK. It can’t happen
here.
But the situation
in Cyprus is potentially international in scope. North Korea is doing some
serious saber-rattling. America’s debt is so out of control that an economic
crash is a statistical certainty. Sweeping anti-gun legislation is being
enacted in various states even as we speak. As Ayn Rand so memorably put it,
“You can ignore reality, but you can’t ignore the consequences of
ignoring reality.”
Right now life is
still pretty good in America. Grocery stores are well-stocked, restaurants are
busy, movie theaters are full. Some people know that perhaps they should think
about putting some of their retirement savings into tangibles or buying up some
ammo, but what’s the hurry? The government won’t seize our assets or take away
the Second Amendment. It can’t happen here.
But underneath our
feet there is a low-grade ominous rumbling, something perceptive people
detected many years ago. All is NOT right in America and in many other places
in the world. Something bad IS heading our way. People need to prepare –
physically, financially and spiritually.
Canada Free Press
(which is not afraid to print in-your-face stuff about America) published a fascinating article on how the U.S.
government has an agenda to kill the dollar. “The ultimate objective is to
implement an international currency in tandem with a system of global
governance,” writes Doug Hagmann. “The problem is that most people are not
thinking large enough, nor do they understand the magnitude of the lie. They
are not seeing the larger picture as their focus is diverted elsewhere. For
example, they focus on various tentacles of the octopus such as the gun
confiscation initiative, the DHS armament acquisitions and economic woes as
independent and unrelated events. They are not. … Many will die from what is
coming. The level of evil behind this plan is incomprehensible to the normal
human mind.”
See? Normalcy
Bias. People continue to cling to the notion that our leaders are
working for us, not for themselves. So people
sit on their butts watching “American Idol” or reading about celebrity baby
bumps. Can the U.S. economy crash? Nah. It can’t happen here.
There are many
people who just can’t “see” anything wrong with our country. Any
restrictions to our constitutional freedoms and liberties are justified as
“necessary” to ensure domestic tranquility. When the TSA performs atrocities on
children, the elderly, or the disabled, they are excused as simply being
overzealous for our security. When the federal government buys billions of
rounds of hollow-point ammunition or mandates another offensive policy for
kindergartners or places drones in American skies, we close our eyes and
pretend it’s all for the common good. And for those who claim deep dark
conspiracy theories? Take off your tin foil hats. It could never happen here.
Everything’s fine.
And when something
big and bad does happen, these people will be surprised. What will they say
if savings accounts or pensions are confiscated (Hungary, Argentina, Cyprus)?
If door-to-door gun seizures occur (England, Australia)? If dissident camps
aren’t rumors after all (Cambodia, China, Russia)? Where did this come
from?
“Denial is an
integral part of atrocity,” wrote the late Iris Chang, “and it’s a
natural part after a society has committed genocide. First you kill, and then
the memory of killing is killed.”
The fact is, very
little happens that doesn’t give some sort of advanced warning. All it takes
is vigilance and a determination not to depend wholly on the mainstream media,
which tends to filter world and national events to support their agenda.
So what can be
done about all these dire things? Well, the first thing to do is strip away
your Normalcy Bias and acknowledge that the smoke on the horizon means a fire
is coming. Awareness, as they say, is half the battle.
And then prepare
yourself physically, financially and spiritually. Learn how to safeguard your
home and family; learn how to safeguard your money; and learn
how to safeguard your soul.
But most of you
won’t. You’ll have endless excuses why it’s not necessary, at least not yet.
You’ll remain in denial. You won’t do anything.
Shrug. I tried.
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