Denial, Illusion, and Evil

Ernest Becker and the tragedy of consciousness

Abstract

This paper adumbrates and questions some of the salient concepts of Ernest Becker and argues that his transferential solution to death anxiety is profound but incoherent. It discusses the human need for illusion, our need to deny weakness, meaninglessness, helplessness, and mortality in a terrifying universe. The paper seeks to amplify Becker’s discussions on the human need for invented meanings that deny these terrors and determine the predilection for transferences under which people can thrive dependently, subserviently, and violently. Human beings create illusions (or even delusions) about themselves, their identities, societies, and meanings as panicked flight from the abyss of nothingness and nonexistence, and they kill lavishly to revel in the gratification achieved in mastering death. This assay also elucidates how Becker’s theological solution to the problem of terror and violence cannot be taken literally, as Becker explicitly refers to his proposed religion in terms of transference, “life-enhancing illusions,” and “legitimate foolishness.” Despite his salient contributions, however, Becker’s work suffers from numerous conceptual problems. His notions of choosing “life-enhancing illusions” and investment in benign transferences are problematic, if not untenable and inherently self-contradictory. While Becker proposes a Kierkegaardian leap into faith, this paper illustrates the implicit conflicts and dangers of such a project, suggesting instead the value and elusive enterprise of self-knowledge that must be vigilant against falling into a seductive metaphysics of displaced salvation or anesthesia.