The Psychology of Denial in a Crumbling America
This is a spoken narration of my essay titled You Can’t Light the Fire and Then Complain About the Heat: The Psychology of Regret, Denial, and Self-Inflicted Harm. If you’d like to read along: https://medium.com/@ProfRJStarr/the-psychology-of-denial-in-a-crumbling-america-25f593bb285b.
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In this episode of The Psychology of Us, Professor RJ Starr examines a widespread and deeply unsettling psychological pattern: the phenomenon of individuals who demand harm, endorse cruelty, or celebrate destruction—then act shocked when the consequences reach their own lives.
With governments cutting social programs, silencing institutions, and targeting public workers and educators, many Americans are waking up to the impact of policies they once supported. But instead of ownership, they express confusion. Instead of accountability, they demand compassion. This episode explores the psychological reasons behind that disconnect.
Drawing on theories like motivated reasoning, social identity theory, moral disengagement, and psychological reactance, this essay dissects how people rationalize voting against their own interests—and how they shift into performative victimhood when those interests are finally damaged. It also looks at the emotional toll on those witnessing this unraveling—people experiencing moral injury as they watch fellow citizens deny, deflect, and grieve the results they once applauded.
This is not a political takedown. It’s a psychological reckoning. One that calls for a renewed cultural commitment to honesty, responsibility, and integrity in the face of uncomfortable truths. Whether you're a student of psychology, a disillusioned observer of modern politics, or someone wrestling with the emotional fallout of living in a fractured society, this episode offers a lens for making sense of the moment.
Narrated by existential psychologist and educator RJ Starr, The Psychology of Us continues to deliver clear, challenging, and timely reflections on what it means to live with awareness in a rapidly changing world.
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