"People have managed to avert their eyes and hope for the best"

Analyzing the quote "People have managed to avert their eyes and hope for the very best" by David Chalmers gives us a lens through which we can consider human cognitive and psychological reactions to possible risks or unpleasant realities. At its core, this statement recommends a tendency among individuals or societies to avoid facing uncomfortable truths, deciding rather to neglect them with the expectation that they will resolve themselves or dissipate over time.

This instinct to "avert their eyes" can be comprehended as a coping mechanism. Psychological theories, such as cognitive harshness, describe that when individuals are confronted with info or truths that contravene their beliefs or desires, they typically experience discomfort. To relieve this discomfort, they might choose to overlook the discordant information rather than engage with it. This avoidance technique is rooted in the desire to maintain internal psychological comfort and to avoid the psychological labor or worry that may occur from dealing directly with challenging issues.

The expression "hope for the very best" adds another measurement to the analysis. It suggests an element of passivity and dependence on optimism as a shield versus the ramifications of inactiveness. While hope is usually viewed as a favorable and inspiring force, when combined with avoidance, it can become a reason for inertia. Here, Chalmers may be critiquing the tendency to count on optimism without taking the required, frequently hard, actions to address or resolve hidden problems.

In different contexts, from individual crises to international obstacles, this quote shines a light on the potential risks of this frame of mind. Avoiding issues like environment change, political instability, or personal health issues might, in the short-term, deal solace or benefit. However, without attending to the root causes and actively looking for solutions, these issues are likely to intensify, possibly leading to more extreme repercussions. Thus, Chalmers' words act as a cautionary pointer of the limits of avoidance and passive hope, urging a more proactive engagement with the facts we deal with, no matter how discomforting they may be.