The Denial of Death
by Ernest Becker
The Pulitzer-winning thesis that human activity is driven by the terror of mortality, and civilisation is an immortality project. Dense, synthesising Freud, Rank and Kierkegaard. The root of terror management theory.
Read it if…
you want the big argument about why humans do what they do.
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Skip it if…
you want easy reading.
Try instead: Escape from Freedom →
Three things you will actually use
- Heroism is the denial of death.
- Culture is an immortality project.
- Face it and live more honestly.
Do this first
Read chapter one and the chapter on the hero.
Our verdict
The terror of mortality.
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