Fear is the primary enemy to becoming an adult. Psychological defenses that are limiting and to some extent dysfunctional are strengthened and intensified when people become anxious. Yet anxiety states are often reacted to subliminally and defenses are instituted and affect our behavior without conscious awareness. In that sense, you cannot approach your fear directly;… Read more »
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In a previous blog, “Living Life as an Authentic Adult,” I briefly described the reasons why so many people operate as children emotionally and refuse to grow up. I discussed how, to varying degrees, individuals are restricted in their ability to function in an adult mode because of “unresolved childhood trauma and the defenses they… Read more »
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Human beings are cursed with a conscious awareness of their own mortality. Human beings, unlike other species, are cursed with a conscious awareness of their own mortality. I believe that the tragedy of the human condition is that people’s awareness and true self consciousness concerning this existential issue contributes to an ultimate irony: Human beings… Read more »
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The news of Nora Ephron’s death as a result of leukemia was such a shock. I keep thinking what a terrible loss. She was such a brilliant writer and director. She was also close to my age – just one day short of a year my junior. We grew up at the same time and… Read more »
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When I was a teenager, I realized that most people were living as though death did not exist. I saw men and women trivializing their relationships and lives with petty arguments and melodramatic reactions to insignificant events, while failing to notice basic issues of personal identity and ignoring existential realities. Their passivity, conformity, and inward… Read more »
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The Higher Education Opportunity Program (H.E.O.P.) Sheldon Solomon talks about a New York State program for economically and academically disadvantaged kids. SS: So New York State has a program for economically and academically disadvantaged kids. And they pay for half and Skidmore pays for the other half. And these are kids, you know, from every… Read more »
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The following transcript contains part of an exclusive interview with Dr. Lisa Firestone and Dr. Sheldon Solomon. Current Philosophical Climate in the United States SS: “Philosophical principles that now prevail in our country are literally based on assumptions that are just unambiguously incorrect.” …Locke said that people vary in ability. He called it industry. He… Read more »
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Dr. Sheldon Solomon on Death Awareness and Psychological Growth Dr. Sheldon Solomon talks about death anxiety and life affirmation. SS: …we like our work but we’re kind of sick of death denial and we’re more interested in life affirmation. And, you know, so we think we understand in quotes how death anxiety can be malignantly… Read more »
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Dr. Sheldon Solomon on Defenses Against Death Anxiety Dr. Sheldon Solomon talks about common defenses against death anxiety. LF: In your work, you focus on defenses against death anxiety that help keep it out of people’s awareness. I was wondering if you could describe those a little bit of what you see as the main… Read more »
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The following transcript contains part of an exclusive interview with Dr. Lisa Firestone and Dr. Sheldon Solomon. Dr. Sheldon Solomon on Human Destructiveness Dr. Sheldon Solomon talks about human destructiveness from a Terror Management Theory perspective. LF: How do you make sense out of human destructiveness coming from a Terror Management Theory perspective? SS: Well,… Read more »
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