I had an idea and thought I would throw it out there to see if there’s any interest. I read as much as I can and often reread books. Over the winter, I’ve read a lot and written a lot for my project.
I’ve studied Ernest Becker’s ideas for a few years now. There’s always more to learn. It seems I’ll be able to read and reread his books for the rest of my life. “The Denial of Death” is what my project is centered on—the theories in that book. My project requires more understanding than simply expressing my personal thoughts and ideas about what causes evil in the world—it requires knowledge of how death anxiety and the denial of death affect human behavior. For that, I turn to Dr. Sheldon Solomon and his coauthors, who wrote “The Worm at the Core: On the Role of Death in Life.” This is a great companion book to Becker’s book. It’s a wonderful read. It lays out an empirical framework for Becker’s theories.
So I wanted to offer a reading of “The Worm at the Core: On the Role of Death in Life.” I would do this on my YouTube channel. One chapter at a time—there are eleven chapters. This would be a great way to understand what I’m doing with my project; moreover, it would give you a chance to learn about these ideas in a very straightforward, non-academic way. I would read a chapter a week. Every Saturday at 1000 MST on my YouTube channel After the reading, we can discuss the ideas, ask questions, and really dive deep into this paradoxical condition we all suffer from. If there are questions I can’t answer or something we want clarity on, I can ask Sheldon (one of the authors).
Let me know if you’d be interested in doing this. You can send me an email or leave a comment below. I think both you and I would be able to get a lot out of this!