Body Quote by Ernest Becker
“...Erich Fromm wondered why most people did not become insane in the face of the existential contradiction between a symbolic self, that seems to give man infinite worth in a timeless scheme of things, and a body that is worth about 98¢.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Denial of Death by Ernest Becker, 1973
People avoid madness because they cling to symbolic meanings that give life purpose, despite bodily reality.
In simple terms: Symbolic meaning shields from absurdity.
Key Takeaway
Seek authentic meaning beyond symbols.
Themes
existentialism
meaning
psychology
Mood
introspective
somber
Type
philosophical
psychological
When to use this quote
- therapy
- artistic creation
- life planning
- grief processing
Key Concepts
philosophy
cognitive dissonance
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you reconcile symbolic self with physical limits?
- What gives your life authentic meaning?
A Different Perspective
Symbolic comforts can mask necessary confronting.
![“I've used the Phoenix Centrifuge to replicate what the body's going to go through on the flight up. I've also done some gravity tests with ZERO-G [a charter-flight service in Arlington, Va., that uses modified Boeing 727s to simulate weightlessness], which went great.” quote by Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/aa1/richard-branson-256_adventure_i-ve-used-the-phoenix-centrifuge-to-repl_903.jpg)
