“Code Red for Humanity” and Psychic Numbing

This is an English translation of my Japanese article to appear in Nikkan San on August 15, 2021, as a part of my bi-weekly column, “The Way of the Pianist.”

This year in Japan, the atomic bomb anniversaries for Hiroshima (Aug. 6) and Nagasaki (Aug. 9) sandwiched the Tokyo Olympics closing ceremony.

The survivors of the atomic bombs found themselves in a state they described as “a paralysis of the mind,” of being “temporarily without feeling.” Psychiatrist Robert Jay Lifton called this “psychic numbing,” defining it as “a diminished capacity or inclination to feel.” (S. & P Slovic, 2015, P. 62)

For the atomic bomb survivors contending with an unimaginable horror caused by these unprecedented weapons of mass destruction, psychic numbing was a necessary and appropriate response of their survival instinct. It allowed them to remain functional despite their hometown suddenly turning to hell. It allowed them to keep on walking besides the burning bodies and crying babies clinging to their dead mothers. It afforded them the ability to look for their loved ones among the dead and the dying, or to drag their own burnt bodies to the hospital.

However, in a book Lyfton co-authored with journalist Greg Mitchell, Hiroshima in America: A Half Century of Denial (1996), Lyfton observed that psychic numbing was adapted by the Americans as well, to avoid acknowledging their crimes against humanity. And that it was their subconscious guilty conscience that fed the general mistrust of the government that encouraged such denial. Psychic numbing can work for theoretical threats as well, to protect our sense of self and the status quo, to remain in denial of challenges you are afraid to face; such as we are doing today with climate change.

On Monday, August 9th, IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) published their sixth assessment report that U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres described as a “code red for humanity.”

It is tempting to tune out these reports warning us of the dire consequences of our inactions. One of the problems is that these official reports feel so far removed from our every day reality and feelings, making it difficult for us to attach any personal meanings or emotions to the data and jargons.

But it is up to our quick resolve and action today, to improve our future odds. So what can we do?

I, for one, have joined a coalition of physical scientists, social scientists and musicians. Physical scientists understand what actions are needed to mitigate the crisis. Social scientists know which emotions encourage action. Musicians/creatives know how to invoke emotions. Our goal is to guide and mobilize the critical mass of world citizens to the right actions to mitigate and combat damages from climate change.

As we plan out our strategies, let me suggest three things you can start today.

• Reduce your daily energy and water use.
• Try avoiding animal protein, becoming vegetarian or even vegan for three days out of your week.
• Reduce your garbage. Compost your organic waste. (Composting is easy!)