Our Primal Fear of Dying

From an evolutionary perspective, we’re wired for survival. It’s the name of the evolutionary game itself – surviving and making sure our kin do as well in order to procreate and protect the genetic line. We’re built to fear death because how else were we to live? We fear ostracization because in primordial times, we weren’t likely to survive on our own. We fear conflict because in some deep, primeval chamber we associate it with death or disorder that can put the entire group at risk. Our ancestral memory can likewise flinch at the suggestion of want, neglect, or even change. Tens of thousands of years ago there wasn’t much room for error.(This Mark's Daily Apple article was written by Mark Sisson, and is narrated by Brock Armstrong)