This is a WILD WITH SARAH WILSON conversation, investigating ideas and practices that can help build our new, life-generating future. We are in a liminal time, between an old world that is no longer holding and a new world - “the what comes next” - that’s yet to emerge. Now is the time to be imagining this future together. If this episode inspires you, please share it with loved ones.
Today’s guest is Dr Sheldon Soloman, a psychologist and the founder of Terror Management Theory. Sheldon has spent 45 years proving that our fear of death is responsible for all the structures of our civilisation, such as religion, education, our moral laws, myths, consumerism, distraction technologies, etc. Such structures keep us from being (fatally) overwhelmed by the uniquely human awareness that we will die one day.
But what happens in a moment like this one, when so much death and annihilation looms? Well, our seductive death-denial efforts can drag us either way – into a tribal, fascist, self-destructive descent, or toward radical compassion and a life-affirming future.
I ask Sheldon to tell me how we (all of us here) can use his terror management theory to urgently steer things to the latter. This chat goes into juicy, philosophical territory, but emerges with beautifully tangible answers for everyone in the “collapse aware” space. Sheldon is a legend and this episode is a fun one!
Got questions?
Sheldon and I will answer questions and respond to your feedback in the comments section. I really want this to be an “emergent” and shared conversation.
About Sheldon
Sheldon Solomon is a professor of psychology at Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, New York. Solomon is best known for co-developing Terror Management Theory, and is the co-author of Wake of 9/11: The Psychology of Terror and The Worm at the Core: On the Role of Death in Life. Sheldon is also an American Psychological Society Fellow.
Show notes
You can get hold of Wake of 9/11: The Psychology of Terror and The Worm at the Core: On the Role of Death in Life here
You might also like to listen to this Wild episode with “death walker” Stephen Jenkinson, which goes into some of the themes in this chat.
Remember, you can now watch us live on YouTube!
Sarah xx
