A society in denial.

• Author: Kreyche, Gerald F.

PSYCHIATRIC TERMS often find themselves bandied about in ordinary lives, albeit with a slightly different spin. For example, everyone knows what a Freudian slip is, perhaps has experienced claustrophobia, or is familiar with someone who is a hypochondriac. We even might refer jokingly to someone who works harder than we do as "obsessive-compulsive." Today, a new expression that has entered the vernacular is "to be in denial."

Alcoholics, heavy smokers, and drug addicts, for instance, always will claim that they can quit any time they really want to. One can tell them that they just are fooling themselves, but they actually believe they can stop at will. The facts are otherwise, and the only way out for them is to get professional help. Their condition is one of denial. Before any cure involving denial can take place, one must admit the addiction. This first step always is a giant one, and many people never take it.

These days, the entire society seems to be in a state of denial. The recent budget crisis is one that fits the pattern. Somehow, few believe the country really could go bankrupt and that the U.S. can continue indefinitely to live beyond its means without serious consequences. Americans refuse to look at the debilitating cost of interest payments on the national debt. Even the home mortgage holder seldom realizes that the eventual cost of his or her house is more than doubled by interest payments.

Shortchanging the family

The attitude pushed upon us to finance, tolerate, even respect, the different and conflicting lifestyles that prevail is another instance of not realizing our blind spot of denial. Sociologists remind us that the family is the heart and backbone of the nation, yet we continue to believe that it can be destroyed and the nation still can remain morally sound. One can not convince many Americans that the high rate of illegitimacy, divorce, and live-in arrangements and the acceptance of gay and lesbian relationships as legitimate forms of marriage is ruinous.

The reckless pursuit of an obscure multiculturalism continues in this vein. The evidence of it being at the center of social and national unrest is seen in countries around the globe (the former Yugoslavia is but one instance), yet we still urge on this national destruction. To those in denial, evidence means nothing.

One finds the blissful ignorance of denial in believing that women can have it all today--glorious careers, motherhood, happy husbands, freedom...