To be candid, this book isn't exactly the kind you'd pick up for a casual read during your leisure time – well, at least not in my case.

It is heavy on references to other authors' and psychoanalysts' works, as well as the author's own unique (often Neo-Freudian) viewpoints and opinions. Instead of soothing my sometimes contradictory thoughts, it sort of put my brain into overdrive.

The Denial of Death dives deep into a subject that many tend to shy away from – our mortality and the concept of death. It branches out to explore various other aspects such as childhood, sex, religion, and neurosis.

One particular part that has me quite intrigued is the notion that due to their inherent smallness and finite nature, there's a natural inclination in humans to connect with a higher power figure (usually through religion and a concept of God) from a young age. This connection serves as a means to transcend the limits of mortality and find purpose by focusing on "causa sui." This term essentially refers to an immortal vessel through which meaning is created – a sort of lasting significance that extends beyond our earthly existence. By centering their focus on this, individuals find purpose in life, and at the same time, it offers a comforting answer to the concept of death (in religious terms, "seeing God" is akin to passing away).

In a nutshell, don't be put off by the initial personal statement. This book is packed with profound insights – just keep in mind that it's not exactly a leisurely read for unwinding your mind.

As usual, sharing some of my favourite quotes from the book: 

"What man really fears is not so much extinction, but extinction with insignificance."

"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 of man."

"The irony of man's condition is that the deepest need is to be free of the anxiety of death and annihilation; but it is life itself which awakens it, and so we must shrink from being fully alive."

"It is fateful and ironic how the lie we need in order to live dooms us to a life that is never really ours."

#thedenialofdeath #ernestbecker #goodbook #goodreads #gtmreads