The idea comes from terror management theory, where the view is that we as animals who know we're going to die. So anything like going into a comb ar, going ito an operation, or just being unconscious for any amount of time would be a potent reminder that wer are limited. Every minute spent asleep is a minute less of life that we have.
David and Tamler try to control their emotions (with varying success) as they go deep into Franz Kafka's masterful novella "The Metamorphosis." What kind of a story is this? A Marxist or religious allegory? A work of weird fiction? A family drama? A dark comedy? Why does a story about a man who turns into a giant insect get under our skins so much?
Plus a study that links insomnia to our fear of death. What a cheerful summer episode! (Actually we're fairly proud of this one... As always we suggest reading the text before you listen or soon after).
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