I claim that the fact that we are strongly encouraged to…
““I claim that the fact that we are strongly encouraged to identify with characters for whom death is not a significant creative possibly has real costs. We the audience, and individual you over there and me right here, lose any sense of eschatology, thus of teleology, and live in a moment that is, paradoxically, both emptied of intrinsic meaning or end and quite literally ETERNAL. If we're the only animals who know in advance we're going to die, we're also probably the only animals who would submit so cheerfully to the sustained denial of this undeniable and very important truth. The danger is that, as entertainment's denials of the truth get even more effective and pervasive and seductive, we will eventually forget what they're denials OF. This is scary. Because it seems transparent to me that, if we forget how to die, we're going to forget how to live.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Denial of mortality in entertainment erodes meaning, making life feel both empty and endless, risking loss of purpose.
In simple terms: Ignoring death leads to loss of meaning.
Key Takeaway
Confront mortality to find purpose.
Themes
philosophy
media criticism
existentialism
meaning
mortality
Mood
thought‑provoking
critical
Type
philosophical
analytical
When to use this quote
- film criticism
- life coaching
- educational curricula
- personal development
Key Concepts
ontological denial
cultural analysis
psychology of entertainment
Questions to Reflect On
- What role does mortality play in shaping values?
- How does media influence our perception of death?
A Different Perspective
May be too abstract for general audiences.