Several articles (eg, EurActiv, Guardian, Politico) have already pointed out that the former anti-(Covid)-vax movement is now protesting pro-Russia, following the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.
What do these people have in common? And why?
The media refer to conspiracy groups (eg, Politico). That might be true but it’s an oversimplification – in my view. These people believe in their truths. Once again, it’s the Truth as a belief system (2015).
Their truths could be labelled as either subjective (an open-minded view) or false (closed-minded). Subjective truths are better known as opinions. Objective, verifiable, truths are facts.
According to Karl Popper, there’s a third category of which its existence can – probably – not be proven: absolute truths (eg, my 2018 blog).
There’s more.
Their (subjective or false) truths deny objective truths or facts, like: After months of visible preparation, Russia started this war by invading Ukraine on 24 February 2022. Denying that Russia is the aggressor requires their conspiracy thinking. It’s a means to an end and not an end in-and-of itself (see: Wiki).
In my view, denial explains their Truth as a belief system.
In her 1969 book, Swiss-American psychiatrist Elisabeth Kübler-Ross (1926-2004) stated the five stages of processing grief a.k.a. the Kübler-Ross model. Denial is the first stage. Acceptance is the final stage.
Many people view grief as mourning (eg, sickness, death). In my view, grief relates to all types of Change.
Each day we face changes. Each of those changes may trigger our denial, anger, bargaining, depression and – finally – acceptance (a.k.a. DABDA). In most cases, we just accept these changes and move on.
However, the loss of our job may trigger a set of events that starts with losing our income and may culminate in losing our house, our relationship, our children, and/or our willingness to keep on living. Such events are traumatic. Maintaining your denial is also a coping mechanism with harsh reality.
Denial and anger fit well with the first option in the so-called fight, flight, freeze or fawn response towards threats (eg, my 2020 blog, Psychology Today, Wiki). Together these three (ie, denial, anger, fight) constitute the driving forces of the anti-vax movement and the pro-Russia protests.
Most people just accept these changes and show a flight, freeze or fawn response.
I’m a Believer (1966) by The Monkees
(a song written by Neil Diamond)
artists, lyrics, video, Wiki-band, Wiki-song
Note: all markings (bold, italic, underlining) by LO unless in quotes or stated otherwise.
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