This Mortal Coil - Terror Management Theory - Death Denial Systems of Belief
Flight from Death: The Quest for Immortality The Great Human Dilemma “This is the terror: to have emerged from nothing, to have a name, consciousness of self, deep inner feelings, an excruciating inner yearning for life and self-expression - and with all this yet to die.” (Ernest Becker, The Denial of Death) Flight from Death: The Quest for Immortality OUR HUMAN PREDICAMENT “Human beings find themselves in quite a predicament. We have the mental capacity to ponder the infinite, seemingly capable of anything; yet housed in a heart-pumping, breath-gasping, decaying body. We are godly yet creaturely.” This Mortal Coil The fear of death drives many evils, from addiction to prejudice and war. Can it also be harnessed as a force for good? Many people think consciously about their mortality only once in a blue moon. Maybe if an odd mole appears. Or after a close call in the car. Or when they read about the death of a celebrity their age. Maybe it’s in the middle of the night, wh...