How the Fear of Death Affects Human Actions and Politics

 

Sheldon Solomon, Professor of Psychology at Skidmore College spoke to us about how the fear of death affects human actions and politics. He expanded on earlier lectures he had given us. He related how studies had demonstrated the validity of this premise.

Sheldon related how he came to see the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center (WTC). While most Tuesdays found him in the WTC at 8 a.m. he had on that week been there instead on Monday the 10^th  of September. His office where he was on the 11^th had a clear view of the towers and the events of that day.

After the 9/11 attacks Sheldon was invited to work on a book explaining why people do such things. Twelve weeks were devoted to a first writing followed by extensive review and then another twelve weeks of rewriting. In Sheldon's view 9/11 was not really a unique event. "People have a tough time getting along with other people" said Sheldon..

Sheldon made many references to the works of Ernest Becker (The Birth And Death of Meaning, The Denial Of Death, Escape From Evil) Becker’s analysis of human affairs begins from an evolutionary perspective by considering how human beings are similar to as well as uniquely different from all other forms of life. Human beings are not especially well suited to survive individually on the basis of physical attributes. Rather it is the social nature of humans and their ability to imagine what does not exist and then work to transform the world to conform. Only human beings, by virtue of consciousness, are simultaneously alive and aware that they are alive.

Humans have a need to believe that life has value. We also need to have a means to overcome our fear of death. Cultures provide beliefs, which serve these needs. When we encounter persons with different beliefs we may feel threatened and tend to react by belittling or denigrating these persons or their beliefs. A second line of defense is to attempt to convert these "non-believers." As a final defense, killing them also is commonly tried.

Over 300 studies have demonstrated that if people are reminded of death prior to an encounter with people with either similar or different cultures they tend to react stronger then those given alternate reminders. More favorable reaction to similar individuals and more unfavorable reactions to different individuals were recorded after even subtle reminders of death.

Events such as 9/11 remind societies of their death fears and can lead to the rise of charismatic leaders with simplistic and religious based messages. G. W. Bush's popularity after 9/11 has been ascribed to this phenomenon.

Osama Bin Laden is representative of the lunatic fringe, which is found in all the worlds' great religions. Such individuals undermine the religion while knowing little about the religion.