Denial Of Death

Not so much about death, rather about dysfunctions in life and reviewing the works of other great philosophers and psychologists of 19th & 20th century. It is an easy read, not necessarily easily digestable (or concievable). Its definitely not a self help book, instead it might just force you to rethink happiness, fear, arousal, hope, imagination, scizophrenia, homosexuality, perversions, etc. 👍🏼 Its a classic.

Every should read books like this atleast once

Been months now and yet I have not finished the book. However, what I have covered so far is a great addition to my knowledge

A very well written critique of freudian philosophy and highly coherent with eastern philosophy.

The Denial of Death by Ernst Becker is a book I had wanted to read for quite some time, and it leaves a lasting impression. If someone truly wants to understand what life is about, this is a strong candidate. In the end, one realises that there is nothing at the core—like peeling an onion—but knowing this in depth changes a person far more than living without that awareness. Best for: Psychology / philosophy readers Those exploring meaning of life Not ideal for: Casual readers Those looking for practical solutions A few concepts that are interesting Human nature & heroism Narcissism + self-esteem create the desire to outlive oneself Sibling rivalry feels more real than cooperation Socialisation itself is painful Terror of death We admire those who face death; symbols and customs help us cope The modern lack of belief systems creates its own difficulty Morbidity may simply be reality realised too early Fear helps avoid death; repression helps us live Repression & maturity Repression is necessary and even creative Maturity is a form of accepting defeat (self-deception) Dual nature: to live vs to transcend Human condition “We are worms… but think like kings” The mind seeks transcendence while the body imposes limitation Man is an animal aspiring to become a “God” Child development The child tries to conquer death The mother is the first world, which the child later tries to control There is no perfect upbringing—only self-creation Character traits are “secret psychosis” Spectrum: Normal (controlled illusion) → Creative → Neurotic → Psychotic Philosophy integration Strong link between psychology, theology, and philosophy Freud aligns closely with this thinking Kierkegaard provides a powerful bridge Core paradox of humans Want peace vs want truth Want individuality vs want belonging Individuality within finitude Transference and characters Transference is a question of courage vs cowardice Humans try to belong to a larger system while still exceeding it The dual nature of human effort is clearly visible True transcendence is surrender (rare) Psychosis is the inability to deceive oneself What I did not like Religion analysis feels incomplete (especially from a Hinduism perspective) Over-focus on death → at times feels one-dimensional Question remains: can the mind stay focused on death continuously? Final takeaway Humans survive through illusions, repression, and meaning systems Truth is uncomfortable → life requires some level of denial Not about solving the paradox → but living within it

Once you read it, you cannot deny your death.

It's worth its price in gold. Good quality for at this price range.

I bought this book because i heard it is a good book. I have not yet read the book because print size is small and is putting me off. I think Amazon should mention PRINT SIZE in its book details, so that we can decide whether to buy the print version.

Impossível manter os mesmos sistemas de crenças e valores depois de ler e refletir muito sobre o tema. Para mim, é o tipo de livro que não importa quanto tempo se gastou lendo, mas sim quanto tempo se utilizou refletindo sobre o que foi lido. 0 X 10 é uma boa relação de partida.

My lowe starts is on the author not the sold product... Topic abit out dated

I am terrified of dying and I don't understand why no one else seems to think about it as much as I do. It's because they're all working on their, 'immortality projects' as Becker calls them. Like earning lots of money and having kids you feel more and more immortal. But you're not. You're just doing everything to try and ignore the fact that soon you will cease to exist and nothing you're doing now will mean anything to anyone!

Depends , what life stage you are at. For mid life themes . It’s good to read such things and make an honest opinion of your own .

A little tough to get into but extremely insightful, and a valuable read. Well worth your time.