The Denial File
What We Can't Think About—and Why
Glossing the Gilding on Guilt
Henry Richards | January 27, 2012
A conversation on the Becker LinkedIn Discussion Group centered on guilt (thanks to Liz), and I would like to offer some observations about guilt here …
Rick Perry and Newt Gingrich Are Right On!
Daniel Liechty | January 25, 2012
Gary Hart is calling for a new debate about capitalism and I fully agree. Think about it. One group of capitalist investors looks for …
The Psychic Bartender: Hangman’s Lunch
Kirby Farrell | January 20, 2012
People can’t think clearly enough to justify killing. Sooner or later, in court or out, our unseen motives will always betray us into absurdity or …
Becker and Hobbes
Bruce Floyd | January 17, 2012
This weekend I found myself reading a little about Thomas Hobbes, who, or so it seems to me, anticipates Becker somewhat in that Hobbes believed …
Occupy the Toolbox
Kirby Farrell | January 13, 2012
Yes, once again it’s time for the world to end. Apocalyptic thinking never wholly goes away. In good times reason sometimes reduces end-times fantasies to …
To What End?
Bill Bornschein | January 10, 2012
An aspect of Ernest Becker’s work that has always intrigued me is his treatment of anality. In The Denial of Death he characterizes it as …
Corporate Social Responsibility
Daniel Liechty | January 6, 2012
Somewhere along the line, we seem to have swallowed the idea that the sole purpose of corporations is to maximize profits for their shareholders. Recently, …
Death in Venice
Bruce Floyd | January 3, 2012
A few days ago I found myself once again reading Thomas Mann’s “Death in Venice,” which to me is much more than the story of …