Ernest Becker
We are self-aware animals, capable of imagining transcendence while living in bodies that decay and die. To manage the terror of mortality, we construct psychological and cultural systems that let us feel enduring and significant.
Humans suffer from a profound cognitive dissonance because our expansive, self-aware minds are trapped inside fragile, mortal, and creaturely animal bodies.
To function in everyday life without being paralyzed by the dread of nonexistence, we unconsciously build psychological character armor that represses our inherent vulnerability.
We strive for symbolic immortality by dedicating ourselves to heroism projects, such as raising a family or advancing a cause, to ensure our legacy outlasts our physical demise.