TERROR!!!!
In my Social Cognition class, we discussed the Terror Management Theory, or TMT for short. It basically states that we strive for self-esteem to avoid the terror of death, that striving for symbolic immortality aids in alleviating our fear of death. So naturally we want to feel good about ourselves and we attach ourselves to cultural worldviews (e.g. "I must be wealthy and successful" or "I must be a good Christian") in attempts to attain symbolic immortality ("I'm the richest man in the world!" or "I'm in Heaven, partying it up with God"). In class, we mostly spoke of symbolic immortality as in leaving behind a legacy or having people remember us when we die.
As someone who doesn't believe in an afterlife, I don't feel that I need to achieve symbolic immortality. For argument's sake, let's say there truly is no afterlife and once you die, your consciousness is forever extinguished. You no longer exist. To me, there would be no point in being "immortal" and being forever remembered for whatever it is that I did because I'M DEAD and I am not aware that I'm being remembered 'til the end of civilization because I have no consciousness. So why do I care about what I leave behind?
Some of you may ask, "Well, Melissa, if you believe that, then why care about being a psychologist and helping people?"
Because I'm still ALIVE, and I would like to stay that way for a while because the thought of not existing is some scary shit. I strive to be a psychologist and help people with their eating disorders because it's what will make me happy. I want to make a difference in the world as I'm living because seeing Body Wars on the TV every day makes me SAD. Yes, I would love to know that I'm making an impact on the world because what it all comes down to is the fact that it makes me happy. Making a difference while I'm alive is all I care about. The hell with if people remember me when I'm dead. I would like to make a good amount of money so that money will never be something I have to worry about. I strive to succeed in THIS life since, as far as my beliefs go, this is the only one I'll have and my afterlife will consist of nothingness.
So I think the TMT is a load of crock.
To end on a hilarious note, I will leave you with this quote from my Social Cognition professor. It's totally out of context, but that might make it funnier for you guys:
"Start thinking about death more and you'll hate those prostitutes, too!"
My professor was talking about an experiment some people did pertaining to TMT. Some Participants were asked to write a letter about their own death (how it would happen, what it would be like to experience it, etc). Some participants weren't required to do so (they are the control group). Then all participants were told that a judge decided to let a prostitute out on bail and they were asked how much they thought the bail should be.
When people are reminded of their fear of death, they cling to their worldviews and morals and are negative towards those who go against their views. The participants who had to write about their own death set the bail at over $450 and those who were in the control group said $50. So these people who were reminded of mortality were really strick on the prostitute.
A girl in my class raised her hand then and said that she felt that prostituting wasn't as bad a murderer since some people who fall into prostitution are just in a bad spot. She thinks the researchers should have used something more extreme. This is what my professor said:
"Well, you obviously don't think about death enough! Start thinking about death more and you'll hate those prostitutes, too!"
As someone who doesn't believe in an afterlife, I don't feel that I need to achieve symbolic immortality. For argument's sake, let's say there truly is no afterlife and once you die, your consciousness is forever extinguished. You no longer exist. To me, there would be no point in being "immortal" and being forever remembered for whatever it is that I did because I'M DEAD and I am not aware that I'm being remembered 'til the end of civilization because I have no consciousness. So why do I care about what I leave behind?
Some of you may ask, "Well, Melissa, if you believe that, then why care about being a psychologist and helping people?"
Because I'm still ALIVE, and I would like to stay that way for a while because the thought of not existing is some scary shit. I strive to be a psychologist and help people with their eating disorders because it's what will make me happy. I want to make a difference in the world as I'm living because seeing Body Wars on the TV every day makes me SAD. Yes, I would love to know that I'm making an impact on the world because what it all comes down to is the fact that it makes me happy. Making a difference while I'm alive is all I care about. The hell with if people remember me when I'm dead. I would like to make a good amount of money so that money will never be something I have to worry about. I strive to succeed in THIS life since, as far as my beliefs go, this is the only one I'll have and my afterlife will consist of nothingness.
So I think the TMT is a load of crock.
To end on a hilarious note, I will leave you with this quote from my Social Cognition professor. It's totally out of context, but that might make it funnier for you guys:
"Start thinking about death more and you'll hate those prostitutes, too!"
My professor was talking about an experiment some people did pertaining to TMT. Some Participants were asked to write a letter about their own death (how it would happen, what it would be like to experience it, etc). Some participants weren't required to do so (they are the control group). Then all participants were told that a judge decided to let a prostitute out on bail and they were asked how much they thought the bail should be.
When people are reminded of their fear of death, they cling to their worldviews and morals and are negative towards those who go against their views. The participants who had to write about their own death set the bail at over $450 and those who were in the control group said $50. So these people who were reminded of mortality were really strick on the prostitute.
A girl in my class raised her hand then and said that she felt that prostituting wasn't as bad a murderer since some people who fall into prostitution are just in a bad spot. She thinks the researchers should have used something more extreme. This is what my professor said:
"Well, you obviously don't think about death enough! Start thinking about death more and you'll hate those prostitutes, too!"