Denial is a tactic for both the COVID-19 and climate crises

Corporate interests have played a significant role in shaping our responses to both the COVID-19 pandemic and the climate crisis, rather than relying on evidence-based public health approaches. For instance, the CEO of Delta Air Lines successfully pressured the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to reduce the recommended isolation period for COVID-19 from ten days to five, aiming to avoid disruptions to airline operations.

This is merely a single example of how powerful entities manipulate our perceptions and behavior, regardless of the magnitude of the crisis. Throughout this period, we have witnessed a pervasive denial and minimization of both issues. Though this denial often serves as a protective measure against the overwhelming intensity of the multiple crises we face, oppressive states employ it differently.

Governments and corporate entities distort reality and evade responsibility when catastrophic consequences emerge. These tactics are evident in numerous instances, including the widespread prevalence of sexual violence and misogyny, as well as global genocides. As someone who focuses on both climate change and the pandemic, it becomes apparent that the denial and minimization of climate change, COVID-19, and Long COVID are intrinsically linked.

Moreover, inaction concerning one crisis amplifies inaction towards the others. Fossil fuel companies have been at the forefront of climate change denial, hindering our collective ability to respond. Some of these corporations even engaged in coordinated misinformation campaigns to obscure the true impact of climate change, despite being aware of its lethal consequences since the 1970s.

During the Biden administration, ExxonMobil actively lobbied to weaken crucial climate initiatives, allowing them to continue their operations, despite publicly expressing support for addressing climate change. This deceit has provided a fertile ground for COVID-19 denial to thrive. The intertwining of corporate interests and government actions is so potent that major companies and their leaders can override both public health and environmental concerns in pursuit of higher profit margins, posing a significant threat to society.

In light of the intricate and systemic impacts of both COVID-19 and climate change, governments often simplify the solutions to individual responsibility. We are told to reduce our carbon footprint, recycle, and consider carpooling, although these are valuable actions. However, they do not represent the true extent of responsibility, which lies with the 100 fossil fuel companies responsible for approximately 70% of the world's greenhouse gas emissions.

Similarly, government agencies should lead efforts to mitigate the effects of COVID-19, such as improving air quality in public buildings and spaces and providing accurate information about the necessity of these changes. Regrettably, individuals are left to make their own decisions regarding an unprecedented public health crisis, devoid of community support or social consequences.

COVID-19 sick leave and workplace protections remain inconsistent and, in many cases, insufficient. Those who persist in taking precautions rely on their own knowledge and determination but often face societal skepticism and hostility. Furthermore, much of the healthcare sector and society at large continue to downplay, minimize, and deny the existence of Long COVID.

Mainstream media outlets have published misleading information about Long COVID, labeling it as a psychosomatic condition, despite substantial research indicating that it is a biological disease. This mirrors the behavior of non-experts questioning the seriousness of climate change and dismissing it as a "hoax." Our inability to acknowledge and provide proper care for Long COVID and the climate emergency, despite worsening consequences, reveals a deeply dysfunctional and violent society.

Today, corporate influences do not manifest through outright denial; they prefer the façade of "business as usual." Former U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson's announcement of "Freedom Day" in 2021, and former U.S. President Joe Biden's declaration of COVID-19 "over" in 2022, despite rising death tolls, demonstrate leaders prioritizing their own interests over the well-being of their constituents.

Living in this denial and subsequent disregard for these crises is catastrophic on both a practical and existential level.