“Man literally drives himself into a blind rage in order to justify his existence.”
– The Denial of Death
Have you heard about the theory of immortality projects? It comes from the work of Ernest Becker, and his 1973 Pulitzer Prize winning book The Denial of Death.
These projects are meant to help us achieve symbolic immortality, or something that will “live on” after we die.
Some of the most common forms of immortality projects are:
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Art, writing, or creative work
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Religion or spiritual beliefs
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Legacy through children or family
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Career achievements or lasting societal contributions
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Nationalism, ideology, or activism
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Accumulation of wealth or status symbols
I love this theory and I find that I’ve always focused on art, writing, and creative work. I consider it all one big project.
Also, have you ever heard of Kilgore Trout? Kilgore Trout is one of Kurt Vonnegut’s most iconic characters. He’s a tragicomic figure who serves as an alter ego and a literary device in Vonnegut’s novels.
He’s also a failed artist even though he writes brilliant, but ignored scif-fi stories that are only published in cheap porn mags. His work is essentially lost.
Trout has big ideas about the world and the universe and Vonnegut uses Trout as a way to address big philosophical questions.
What do you think happens to failed artists and their immortality projects? Is that what will happen to me?
Welcome to Kilgorey!