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The Denial of Death

Ernest Becker
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TLDR
The Denial of Death as mentioned in this paper is an answer to the "why" of human existence, which sheds new light on the nature of humanity and issues a call to life and its living that still resonates more than twenty years after its writing.
Abstract
Winner of the Pulitzer prize in 1974 and the culmination of a life's work,The Denial of Death is Ernest Becker's brilliant and impassioned answer to the "why" of human existence. In bold contrast to the predominant Freudian school of thought, Becker tackles the problem of the vital lie -- man's refusal to acknowledge his own mortality. In doing so, he sheds new light on the nature of humanity and issues a call to life and its living that still resonates more than twenty years after its writing.

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Gratitude lessens death anxiety

TL;DR: By reexamining life events with a thankful attitude, people may become less fearful of death due to a sense that life has been well-lived, and there are broad applications in clinical and health-care settings for the relief of death anxiety.
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Vicarious annihilation: the effect of mortality salience on perceptions of hate crimes.

TL;DR: Perceptions of hate crimes represent a unique class of crime where both the perpetrator and victim may be viewed as worldview violators and mortality salient participants were less punitive toward offenders who attacked these specific worldview-threatening victims.
Journal ArticleDOI

Toward a unified model of human motivation.

TL;DR: Motivational theory has taken many forms throughout history, reflecting the scientific paradigms and current concerns of the day as discussed by the authors, and the result is a diverse array of theoretical constructs and core mo...
Journal ArticleDOI

Identity, storytelling and the philanthropic journey

TL;DR: It is suggested that philanthropic identity narratives empower wealthy entrepreneurs to generate a legacy of the self that is both self- and socially oriented, these ‘generativity scripts’ propelling their capacity for action while ensuring the continuation of their journeys.
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