"We cannot pretend that reality is different from what it is"

In this quote, Adolfo Aguilar Zinser is emphasizing the significance of dealing with reality as it is, instead of pretending or disregarding it. He is recommending that it is futile to try and change or manipulate the truth to fit our own desires or beliefs. Instead, we should accept and acknowledge the truth of a situation, no matter how difficult or uncomfortable it might be. Zinser is highlighting the risk of denying truth and the potential effects that can develop from doing so. Eventually, he is prompting us to confront the reality and handle it in an accountable and truthful manner.