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Why Denying Death Means Denying Life

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    The desire to deny the reality of death, the theory goes, makes us want to find a way to 'live on'

  • Duration 6:27
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That's where I'd like to keep apple psychiatrist comes in because that was talking about the desired to deny the reality of death.

Various makes us want to find a way to live all on whether or not were killed and a -- -- accomplishments or.

It grandiose -- and sped things.

But you're saying.

That it actually.

Makes us less likely to lose about -- lines of what we should be would be -- -- -- -- is a psychiatrist he's here.

To talk -- out of the denial of death and I was so glad you you you run.

You mention Ernest Becker because that book denial of death was very very popular.

Yes few years -- everybody kind of -- about Sigmund Freud -- Others but missed this book wasn't particularly interesting because it really pinpointed the problem of when we denied death we essentially have to -- create another form of salvation another form of kind of understanding.

Of why we're here -- what's the purpose of life.

Exactly and the end it was a tremendously important book it actually frame this -- the denial of death.

-- much of psychiatry and its author Ernest Becker was criticized for saying look it's really not major depression and schizophrenia.

These medical diagnoses.

It's a question of -- -- do you have a way to kind of ensure you immortality it was that important to people He posited.

-- to the extent that you can't say.

Okay -- involved in something bigger than myself that will live on that you suffered for that in one of a number of ways.

My point and I'm only the messenger here because these there you know standing on the shoulders of giants and conveying these ideas they're not novel to me.

But I really do believe that to the extent that people don't understand that they're mortal.

They are less able to grasp the importance of the moment.

That.

Courage.

House today.

That love is tremendously important and I suggested in my blog -- up at foxnews.com.

Now that people could really change their lives not.

Not in a wholesale fashion that you can really achieve some change if you just said to yourself.

Well you know who would like to held today.

Something that have been waiting to tell them if I knew I only had a month yet.

What what what I wanna get out.

Because even on the ill fated flight that crashed in Pennsylvania on 9/11.

Those calls from cell phones were so similar.

Tell people calling out to tell others -- I want you to know I love you.

Yet nobody calling saying -- I wanted to hear again that you love me.

-- very interest thing we want to tell people -- feelings but we may feel restrained in doing so.

I think if you feel at all times exquisitely more mortal.

That you'll do the important things -- Isn't so that we we have the sort of denial of -- it's.

What we know that basically -- as a death sentence were -- we know that and every time someone dies we respond as if it's something unnatural.

We do and I think it's because in order to get up in the morning.

It's a convenient.

Form of denial that the mind adopt to say well look if if I have to incorporate this into my consciousness.

Well then.

-- -- be paralyzing to me.

Does anything really matter if I'm not here and what I would say no I would say the opposite know everything matters because your time is limited.

The contributions you make can be permanent.

-- people you change it's for real.

At and sixties you know -- -- the tapestry.

Forever.

Now some a piece of human C owner and now you're denying did death you're saying we're immortal that's not what -- -- because we're so exquisitely mortal.

Do the things you love in life.

Don't be afraid to step out and see what you really think because -- Say you're gonna run for office in eight years or to say that you're gonna write that novel.

In six months.

For a psychiatrist who went through med school you like talking a foreign language to me look I saw people come in -- twenty.

Two and not go home.

While and then using this to do it.

-- -- changed your life if you focus on the fact that you will diet but anyway yes from me that's a very depressing thing and maybe they wouldn't get out of bed in the morning.

You know adamant you know -- his books I think a couple ministers wrote a problem but last year your report talk about -- thirty minute thirty -- thirty days with.

And basically is -- went -- and her nonsense.

That churches went through that if you only have thirty days to live what would you do if it was it would work it out what's actually.

Understand.

How He would change your life and the transformations were amazing how people sort of change their focus some people quit -- they went -- did other things because.

They couldn't look forward towards retirement or what he's about six months -- -- six month window but that can't how do you get into the mode that.

Of saying this is going to dramatically changed my life trying that was going to die in thirty days.

Well I think we have to do is have it at the front of your mind that's you know I think the more we write about it and talk about it.

The better and if you start acting.

In this fashion in little ways I think He can lead to larger steps so.

Quite literally if you said well if I knew that I wasn't going to be here in three days -- probably -- contact these couple of roommates and college.

-- check in on him I don't know why.

And that by the way is the god part.

The -- part I don't know what.

Well it has to do with love it has to do with the immeasurable connections between people.

What you would do it because there's something that will never understand.

About.

The importance of critical importance of human relationships and what that means to reach out to someone so don't wait.

You know what do it today because it might not be three days it right.

Nobody has a guarantee it also I think should give people courage because there's -- -- the article unless you now I have two kids right.

So I always have this favorite saying that they came to -- to have might -- daughter.

Unless your pediatrician.

You can't really ruin my day wow how why is that now -- because I know what it calamity would be knocking on what I noted calamity would be.

So if you're not gonna tell me that one of my kids is facing an insurmountable health challenge.

We'll work it out.