Immortality Projects

In 1973, Ernest Becker published a Pulitzer prize winning book "The Denial of Death."

Some of the key points are that humans are unique in that that can think about thinking. They can put ourselves in hypothetical situations, to contemplate the past, present and future. They can vividly imagine their deaths. This leads to a very common feeling of fear that Becker termed "death terror."

To counteract the this "death terror" people have come to the realization that they have two aspects. One is their physical body and the other is a conceptual or spiritual self. People have a very strong impulse to create a conceptual self that will live beyond their physical life. It's why I wrote my letter to my grandchildren and I suspect it is one of the reasons my father wrote his letter. Doing this in the hope our letter - our conceptual self - will last beyond our physical self. Writing your life stories and best words of wisdom are "immortality projects." I also suspect it is why pyramids were built along with other towering monuments constructed out of stone and steel meant to last as long as possible.

I am not alone in wanting to help my grandchildren and wanting to complete my "immortality project" letter.

Do you want to live beyond your physical life?

Write a letter to your grandchildren.

(AI created image.)