[Coral-List] Is it Ocean Optimism or Toxic Positivity?

[sealab at earthlink.net]

Dear Coral-Listers,

I recently came across an article in The Washington Post entitled Time To Ditch Toxic Positivity, Experts Say - It’s Okay Not To Be Okay. Although it was primarily referring to how people choose to deal with COVID19 and widespread social unrest, I saw a direct connection to the ways in which we choose to cope with our growing consternation over the unceasing demise of the world’s coral reefs.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/wellness/toxic-positivity-mental-health-covid/2020/08/19/5dff8d16-e0c8-11ea-8181-606e603bb1c4_story.html

We all know that when faced with adversity it can be beneficial to frame things in a way designed to keep spirits high, but can too much forced positivity be toxic? Could this somehow apply to coral science today? If we don’t put proper emphasis on what we know is killing coral reefs and instead choose to promote short-term successes, are we “shutting out the possibility for further contemplation”?

It seems that almost every day now I’m being bombarded by public outreach efforts that suggest that there are good reasons to believe that outplanting of genetically modified corals might be the solution to the coral reef crisis. As when forced to deal with negative emotions about the pandemic, everyone prefers to exude optimism, but psychologists warn that it can be problematic when people profess positivity in situations where it’s not natural or realistic (like when coral reefs are dying worldwide) or when there are problems that legitimately need to be addressed (like water quality; over-fishing; and climate change) and you choose instead to deflect attention away from major stressors onto something more rosy (like our outplanted corals are spawning!).

So, I’m wondering, is anybody else concerned that this form of ocean optimism, though comforting and reassuring, may prove counterproductive in that it could delay the development of real solutions for the most critical issues at hand, or, is this just an indication that I have morphed into a dispirited old curmudgeon?

Cheers?

Steve Mussman

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