Тонкое искусство пофигизма
Chapter 9
Whetheritbethroughmasteringanartform,conqueringanewland,gaininggreatriches,orsimplyhavingalargeandlovingfamilythatwillliveonforgenerations,allthemeaninginourlifeisshapedbythisinnatedesiretonevertrulydie.
Religion,politics,sports,art,andtechnologicalinnovationaretheresultofpeople’simmortalityprojects.Beckerarguesthatwarsandrevolutionsandmassmurderoccurwhenonegroupofpeople’simmortalityprojectsrubupagainstanothergroup’s.Centuriesofoppressionandthebloodshedofmillionshavebeenjustifiedasthedefenseofonegroup’simmortalityprojectagainstanother’s.
But,whenourimmortalityprojectsfail,whenthemeaningislost,whentheprospectofourconceptualselfoutlivingourphysicalselfnolongerseemspossibleorlikely,deathterror—thathorrible,depressinganxiety—creepsbackintoourmind.Traumacancausethis,ascanshameandsocialridicule.Ascan,asBeckerpointsout,mentalillness.
Ifyouhaven’tfigureditoutyet,ourimmortalityprojectsareourvalues.Theyarethebarometersofmeaningandworthinourlife.Andwhenourvaluesfail,sodowe,psychologicallyspeaking.WhatBeckerissaying,inessence,isthatwe’realldrivenbyfeartogivewaytoomanyfucksaboutsomething,becausegivingafuckaboutsomethingistheonlythingthatdistractsusfromtherealityandinevitabilityofourowndeath.Andtotrulynotgiveasinglefuckistoachieveaquasi-spiritualstateofembracingtheimpermanenceofone’sownexistence.
