The Tragic Destiny of Seeking Significance and the Myth of the Hero

Becker outlines the tragic destiny of individuals driven to be significant in a hero myth system. He emphasizes that the desire to have a lasting impact on the world is deeply ingrained in human psyche. Whether through religious or secular means, society seeks to earn a feeling of cosmic specialness and unshakeable meaning. The modern infatuation with science and technology is merely an updated version of this hero myth. Ultimately, everything humans do is regarded as religious and heroic, yet vulnerable to being fictitious and fallible.

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