The Things We Leave Behind (Chapter 3: The Fractured Self)

Drawing from Ernest Becker's "The Denial of Death", this chapter explores the idea that a great deal of human behavior is motivated by the need to overcome our awareness of mortality. Becker argued that people pursue 'immortality projects' -- or sources of meaning, identity, or forms of recognition that allow them to feel connected to something larger than themselves. These projects typically manifest into constructive and socially admired forms: starting a family, pursuing a career, writing a book, painting your masterpiece, etc. However, what's less discussed, is how they also have the capacity to emerge in destructive forms when a person lacks the ability, resources, or support to pursue legitimate avenues but still has the same desire to feel significant as everyone else. By connecting Becker's insights to questions of identity, alienation, and criminality, this chapter argues that the search for meaning is not just a philosophical concern but an intensely powerful force which shapes both social order and social deviance. Chapter 3, The Things We Leave Behind - The Fractured Self