The Impossible Things We Have to Believe
Modern society depends on complex systems—bridges, encryption, elections—that most people cannot personally verify, forcing trust in experts and institutions as an unavoidable necessity.
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The article argues that to function normally, people must accept contradictory realities: that climate change is catastrophic but also that society treats mitigation as economically unviable. It explores the psychological dissonance required to live in a world facing existential threats while continuing daily life without urgent action.
Emotional regulation—the capacity to feel strongly without losing composure—is increasingly rare. Past norms expected adults to handle disagreements and bad news with restraint, but today raw emotional expression often replaces that discipline.