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Denial is always interesting because often the object of denial acts as a giant red, neon arrow accompanied by a klaxon alerting one to underlying issues. America is in denial about global warming because they are disproportionately responsible for the emission of greenhouse gasses. The British are in denial about their loss of empire because their pride cannot bear their irrelevance. The Chinese are in denial about human rights, because their economic success is founded on disregarding them. As for the French, well, it would probably be easier to list the things they aren’t in denial about.
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Michael Booth (The Almost Nearly Perfect People: Behind the Myth of the Scandinavian Utopia)