Freudian Theories and Existential Dilemmas

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The chapter discusses Freudian theories including the unconscious mind, stages of development, and defense mechanisms, while exploring how these concepts relate to existential dilemmas. It delves into Freud's emphasis on unconscious sexual motivations and repression in managing taboo thoughts and fears, contrasting with Kierkegaard's concept of a leap of faith in dealing with existential challenges. The conversation also explores how personality traits can be viewed as defense mechanisms against the fear of mortality and existential truths.

David faces his greatest fear as he and Tamler dive into Ernest Becker’s 1973 Pulitzer Prize winner The Denial of Death. Blending existentialist ideas within a psychoanalytic framework, Becker argues that the ultimate source of human motivation is not the repression of sexual drives (as Freud thought) but our terror of death and the yearning for an immortality we can never possess. This episode focuses on Part One of Becker’s book, and we’ll conclude the discussion in the next episode.

Plus are gun owners really dissatisfied with their penis size? We look at the numbers.

Hill, T. D., Zeng, L., Burdette, A. M., Dowd-Arrow, B., Bartkowski, J. P., & Ellison, C. G. (2024). Size matters? Penis dissatisfaction and gun ownership in America. American journal of men's health, 18(3), 15579883241255830.

The Denial of Death by Ernest Becker [amazon.com affiliate link]

The Denial of Death [wikipedia.org]

Let us know where we should hold our 300th episode listener meet-up [surveymonkey.com]