American anthropologist Ernest Becker was convinced that most of our actions in life are driven by a fear of death. Behind my money fears was a longing to feel that my life mattered. I suspect this is the same for many, and money is one shortcut we use to “prove” our worth. Yet in my experience, no amount of money ever seems to satisfy. Becker argues that the only way to transcend these existential fears is to live a life that feels heroic. He argues that “if everyone honestly admitted his urge to be a hero it would be a devastating release of truth.”129 What he means by heroic is less about
...more
