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 readersThose exploring meaning of lifeNot ideal for:Casual readersThose looking for practical solutionsA few concepts that are interestingHuman nature & heroismNarcissism + self-esteem create the desire to outlive oneselfSibling rivalry feels more real than cooperationSocialisation itself is painfulTerror of deathWe admire those who face death; symbols and customs help us copeThe modern lack of belief systems creates its own difficultyMorbidity may simply be reality realised too earlyFear helps avoid death; repression helps us liveRepression & maturityRepression is necessary and even creativeMaturity is a form of accepting defeat (self-deception)Dual nature: to live vs to transcendHuman condition“We are worms… but think like kings”The mind seeks transcendence while the body imposes limitationMan is an animal aspiring to become a “God”Child developmentThe child tries to conquer deathThe mother is the first world, which the child later tries to controlThere is no perfect upbringing—only self-creationCharacter traits are “secret psychosis”Spectrum: Normal (controlled illusion) → Creative → Neurotic → PsychoticPhilosophy integrationStrong link between psychology, theology, and philosophyFreud aligns closely with this thinkingKierkegaard provides a powerful bridgeCore paradox of humansWant peace vs want truthWant individuality vs want belongingIndividuality within finitudeTransference and charactersTransference is a question of courage vs cowardiceHumans try to belong to a larger system while still exceeding itThe dual nature of human effort is clearly visibleTrue transcendence is surrender (rare)Psychosis is the inability to deceive oneselfWhat I did not likeReligion analysis feels incomplete (especially from a Hinduism perspective)Over-focus on death → at times feels one-dimensionalQuestion remains: can the mind stay focused on death continuously?Final takeawayHumans survive through illusions, repression, and meaning systemsTruth is uncomfortable → life requires some level of denialNot about solving the paradox → but living within it

Quality and thickness of paper could have been far better, not suitable to carry while traveling page may tear off easily if not handled carefully.:-Content wise a very dense subject handled with layman in mind couldn't have been better or simpler. This book gives far bigger horizon to subjectivity and it's duality of it's existence. Not a typical "proverbial" existential manuscript in any way. Ties down the whole organic nature of which we as a species are an part of it, branched out radically to even contemplate our real place.One of my most re read books over the period of three years. An accidental discovery

Once you read it, you cannot deny your death.

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.