A 2022 article in Psychology Today is worth attention. The author is the late Charles M. Johnston, MD, psychiatrist, author, and futurist.

Particularly over the last 30 years, we’ve also witnessed behavior that is hard to think of as in any way sane. We’ve seen denial ¹around critical issues like climate change and the extinction of species that could result in great pain if not dealt with wisely.

We’ve encountered polarization around issues of every sort that pit neighbor against neighbor and directly undermine the making of effective decisions. And governmentally, around the world, we find regression—failure with regard to fledgling attempts at more democratic rule and the rise of authoritarian tendencies in even the more advanced of nations.

Many of the most respected thinkers today are reminding us that we can have democracy only if we are willing to defend it.

…our rampant materialism and disregard for the environment over time will make the planet less and less habitable.

¹ Denial is a defense mechanism in which an individual refuses to recognize or acknowledge objective facts or experiences. It’s an unconscious process that serves to protect the person from discomfort or anxiety.