The Denial of Death

Ernest Becker (1973)

The Denial of Death is a 1973 book by cultural anthropologist Ernest Becker. The book was awarded a Pulitzer Price posthumously.

The Denial of Death by Ernest Becker is a thought-provoking book that explains why humans often avoid thinking about their own mortality. Becker argues that our awareness of death creates anxiety, so we develop ways to deny or ignore it. He suggests that much of human behaviour like pursing success, seeking approval, or following cultural norms, is driven by subconscious fear of death. Becker believes that understanding our fear of death can help us better understand human motivation and the choices we make in life. In essence the book invites us to reflect on how our fear of death shapes our lives and the societies we create.

Ernest Becker drew on works from philosophers such as Sigmund Freud to discuss the psychological and philosophical implications of how people and culture have reacted to the concept of death. It is suggested that culture serves as a way for individuals to transcend their finite existence and gain a sense of significance and immortality. People adopt cultural worldviews, religions and societal roles as a means to deny or mitigate the anxiety that comes with the awareness of death. The book encourages the examination of how culture shapes our beliefs, behaviours and how it provides a framework for us to find meaning and purpose in a world where our mortality is an undeniable reality. In essence, it prompts us to question the role of culture in addressing our deep-seated fear of death and its impact on our lives.

Becker suggests that individuals often construct what he calls a ‘hero system’ to cope with the fear of mortality. This hero system consists of societal values, ideals and roles that provide individuals with a sense of purpose and the opportunity to transcend their own mortality. These hero systems can vary widely across cultures and individuals but typically involve the pursuit of achievements, recognition, and a desire to leave a lasting legacy. These roles and aspirations become a way for people to feel like they are participating in something greater than themselves and in doing so, mitigate their existential anxieties. The Denial of Death encourages us to reflect on how we construct our own hero systems and how these systems influence our actions, aspirations, and our sense of meaning in life.

 

“The idea of death, the fear of it, haunts the human animal like nothing else: it is a mainspring of human activity designed largely to avoid the fatality of death, to overcome it by denying in some way that it is the final destiny for man.”