Why people reject that COVID-19 is real, is also why people are still fat & smoke
I’ve been trying to find a logical explanation as to why people reject facts, truths, and science, especially now, since some people refuse to wear their masks with a vehement explanation that COVID-19 is a hoax. Accepting the truth, is too painful for many people to accept, so they search, or make up an alternate realty in which the truth is a lie, and lies become truths. This reasoning explains why people don’t take their medication, don’t exercise, continue to smoke, don’t change their eating habits, and deny climate change. I’ll explain:
Why don’t people follow their doctor’s advise?
Many people who get diagnosed with type II diabetes, don’t take their medication, don’t exercise, don’t test their blood sugar, and don’t change their eating habits, even though their doctor, who went to a licensed medical school and earned his doctorate, tells them they need follow a specific protocol, or else, they will lose their eye sight, end up with nerve pain, or, end up as an amputee (among other horrible outcomes). The patients who don’t follow their doctor’s plan, either explain their inactions by saying, that doctors don’t know what they are talking about, thereby refusing to face the facts, or, they do not want to accept a diagnoses of disease, where they are forced to do things they don’t want to do. They don’t want to exercise because it’s boring, or it hurts. They want to keep eating fast food, because it’s easy, inexpensive, and tastes good.
Why do people still smoke?
People still smoke even though everyone knows it causes cancer. I’ve heard smokers say that their parents smoked, and lived to a ripe-old-age, so they have great genes which will protect them, even though there’s no evidence to support that theory. Or, smokers say that, they will quit tomorrow, and they never do. They don’t quit because quitting means they will have headaches, and painful withdrawal symptoms, which they keep putting off. Smokers don’t want to give up smoking because smoking makes them feel good, even though long-term use will make them worse and worse.
Why don’t overweight people change their eating habits and behaviors?
I’ve worked with overweight and obese people who say they want to lose weight because of heart problems, or pain in their joints, and they can no longer do the fun things they used to do, like golfing, because of the excess weight they are carrying around. Yet, these same people keep eating junk food, continue serving themselves massive portions of food, and refuse to follow any diet or exercise program. They won’t change their eating habits because they fear their life will be boring since they won’t be able to go bar-hopping or go to the same restaurants and eat their same beloved meals. They have this false notion that nothing works for them, eating proper portions of healthy food and limiting unhealthy foods will make them miserable, even though their current lifestyle is making them miserable, and led them to consult with me for weight loss help.
Why do people deny that climate change is real?
This also explains why people deny climate change. They don’t want to accept that their actions are causing destruction to our planet. This is one reason why companies that knowingly pollute our environment are climate-deniers. They try to justify putting toxins in our air and in our water and soil, by pretending that it’s not a problem. These big polluters don’t change their ingredients, policies or procedures because that costs money, and “the bottom line” is all companies care about.
Why are there conspiracy theories?
This is why we find conspiracy theories, such as the one that liberals will ban cows, and we won’t be able to eat hamburgers anymore. Conspiracies are ways to distract people from the truth, and the lies typically benefit the deniers in the form of power and money. Case-in-point is the coal companies; they have a financial reason to ignore the science, because there’s no such thing as clean coal.
Why aren’t people wearing masks?
We see people vehemently refusing to wear masks because masks are uncomfortable, and wearing one signals acceptance that the coronavirus is real, extremely contagious, and dangerous. With this acceptance, that ultimately means, people will have to change their habits, and people don’t like change. They don’t want to be stuck at home. They want to eat at restaurants, and party with their friends. It’s easier to ignore a horrible reality, than to accept it, and change your life, and do things you don’t want to do.
Why do people ignore the truth?
I think the best example, is the wife who lost her husband, sets the table for him every night, and refuses to accept that he is gone, and will never return. He will never give her a hug again. He will not be there to protect her anymore. She’ll have to take care of all of his responsibilities that she doesn’t know how to do. Deep down, she knows he is deceased, she went to the funeral, and saw him buried in the ground, but it’s easier to pretend that things have not changed, and everything will go on, like it always has been. The problem with this, is, lying and denying, helps no one. Ripping off a Band-Aid hurts, but it must be done.
The story of the fictitious widow is that she has to accept the truth, and go through the grieving process, in order to recover. That is what we all need to do. We need to accept truths, facts, and science even though we may not like what it tells us. We have to go through the grieving process of losing a life we imagined, in order to make changes and recover.
photo: me wearing a mask on a walk
Thank you for a very wise and thoughtful explanation for why people do no like change. It’s remarkably convincing.
Sacrificing for the better is worth the effort and discomfort and shows a maturity of character. We all need to accept the truth and work hard to make this a healthier and mor loving world.