Everyday Canvas

Resistance vs Denial

Prompt “Resistance and denial are two very different states,” says Andrew Himmel in his novel, The Reluctant Healer.
In your opinion, in what ways are resistance and denial different from each other?

--------

Denial rejects what obvious and what is not profitable in some way, only because facts of the matter overwhelm and there is no comfort in admitting to them. Denial is not only the opposite of acceptance. It is separate and insists on certainty even if there are no reasons or evidence for that certainty. Denial is self-important without a good reason.

Resistance, however, accepts that certainty but pushes back on it, resenting its presence. Resistance has purpose whereas denial is without purposes. Resistance can be futile and baseless but it also can be the most principled and moral human endeavor on the face of injustice. This is resistance with purpose. Resistance with purpose works toward a solution, but it is not for calming anger and feeling important. A person is at his strongest when he is willing to walk away from such a resistance.

That is why we must all walk toward where we should go rather than where we might go.