Why Do People Ignore Obvious Tragedies?

People ignore obvious tragedies for many reasons. Some people just don't want to face the truth. They feel like if they ignore the problem, it will magically go away and they won't have to deal with it anymore. They can't cope with the issue and they need to repress it so they can get on with their lives. This of course, is not a healthy way of dealing with tragedy. Ignoring something does not make it go away. People don't want to let certain problems they have interfere with their lives. This is why the characters in The Plague are so hesitant to refer to the illness as a plague. The word "plague" sounds so deadly and serious, which is why they want to ignore the warnings. They don't want to have to change their lives to accommodate for this dilemma. As they will soon find out, being in denial will not solve anything. It will only put them at a disadvantage and make them less prepared to deal with the problem at hand. It's easier to ignore something than it is to come up with a solution, but that only works temporarily. In the long run, not facing tragedies will only make them harder to deal with later.