This afternoon, after recommending a book to a friend, I found myself thinking about knowledge and denial.

I had given her the book, Lords of Finance by Liaquat Ahamed because I was finding its contextualization of an earlier financial crisis strangely comforting. And, although she preferred a strategy of remaining hazily unaware of specifics as national leaders worldwide struggle with the downturn—- I know that (secretly) no one can resist the siren song of economic history! In describing the development of 4 Central Bankers, negotiating the turbulence of the Post WW I world, Ahamed also informs our own: of complexity, of contingency, of genius, ignorance, and ultimately, of our common lot.

Burnt-out on the escalation of daily economic events, and our attunement to the media— very much like a population in a state of war—- I have turned to the past for comfort. Reading reminds me of the history of such crises: much richer and diverse than what is becoming our common reference to the Great Depression with its heavy weighting on dread and despair.  Reading reminds me both of the crises’ precursors as well as what happened when the crises passed.

That is, the virtue of history as a narrative for our times is that it tells a fuller story than the one in which we’re embedded: the historical story has a resolution. I find this comforting, because it confirms that despite our unknowing ( check out Peter Bernstein’s terrific article in the FT of February 25) all stories conclude. And opportunity inheres in the stories that continue from those conclusions. However, while you’re swimming in turbulence, its sometimes hard to remember that.

So, talking with her this afternoon, we got to discussing the anxiety involved in knowing: the burden of having to think about things too much- especially thinking with serious implications for how we shall negotiate our lives; and against this anxiety, the possible anxieties attendant upon denial.

Unfortunately, knowledge itself gets the bad rap here: because the seeking of knowledge (however comforting for some of us, and then, only to the degree that we can absorb the knowledge without becoming overwhelmed) comes with realization. And while reality is fairly important in getting from point a to point b, it can be unpleasant: especially when it punctures the magical state enforced by its denial. I had to admit that apart from the shock of recognition that comes with ultimate reality contact, denial seems more idyllic. But perhaps that’s only my envy as I pursue attempting to know my way out of uncertainty.

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