My friends and I witnessed two planes flying at about the same speed and altitude one with a contrail stretching over the horizon seemingly while the other had a small quickly dissipating trail, we watched them fly all the way out of view, it was close to sunset and the long trails were casting a deep streaking shadow almost shadowing the flight path. They agreed that it was odd and that they couldn't explain it and it looked very unnatrual compared to the other plane which was very close and on the same heading as the other , and like I said at the same altitude and speed.
The trail would billow out and you could see it drop like dust as it was forming into a thick haze.
The next day we were watching them again, and you could see the same things, the billowing out, the density and especially the falling/curtain effect, and they brushed it off as they made a few jokes about me not understanding contrails.
I'd call that denial, and more precisely denying the possibility that it's happening, because of the implications revolving around the trust they invested into government/official institutions and their conclusions and narratives. The vested trust forms the basis for their belief structure, they enter denial because their belief structures are challenged by new information, contradicting what they previously held as given, causing Cognitive Dissonance.
denial is the main problem on earth presently, yes. denial of denial is the absolute killer. whenever an aspect of reality is prevented from being present in consciousness, then denial is involved. we can always feel the presence of denial and it is the feelings that have been most heavily denied!