65.

Yearning for immortality

In Escape from Evil Ernest Becker writes: Man wants what all organisms
want: continuing experience, self-perpetuation as a living beingbut... man
alone among all other organisms had a consciousness that his life came to an
end here on earth; and so he had to devise another way to continue his self-
perpetuation, a way of transcending the world of flesh and blood, which was a
perishable one. This he did by fixing on a world which was not perishable, by
devising an invisible project that would assure his immortality This
observation on human activity provides the key to understanding history.
Throughout the ages people have wanted to transcend their physical destiny and
have looked for a guarantee of some form of eternal existence. Their culture
provided the necessary ideologies or symbols of immortality. Societies can be
seen as the structures into which peoples desire for immortality was built.
Ken Wilber, in his turn, indicates that in every historical phase of consciousness
development events revolve around three basic questions:
1. What forms of real transcendence are available to human beings?
2. What kinds of substitute forms of transcendence are created?
3. What price do fellow human beings have to pay for these substitute
gratifications?
So far few people have chosen the way of transcendence for themselves alone.
The great majority, and decision makers in particular, have not wanted to set out
on the road to the superconscious. But there are many indications that the desire
for transcendence gradually intensifies into an urge to leave the having level of
consciousness and move to the being level. The transition takes place
progressively and guiding intellectual forces like Erich Fromm have already
defined the main characteristics of the new era. Though it is not directly
transcendent, the being level will create the right conditions for a qualitative
leap of consciousness.
Rather than bother with the fairly hypothetical assumption of a resurrection, the
great and would-be great in our society give temporary immortality a try. In
an affluent world where nothing is impossible ones own death is no longer
accepted, but suppressed and forgotten. Artistic, political, architectural, sporting
or other kinds of achievement give individuals the illusion that they will outlive
their own time and be perpetually remembered by future generations. Because
they are fixated on material values and short-term success they are under the
impression that they play an important part in this world and that have left
behind permanent traces. The overwhelming power of the media creates new
role models, new idols to copy. People lose a sense of the human dimension and
individuals aspirations are conditioned by the models of the information age.
The result is that anything transcendent is forgotten.
It is pure luxury and theory to think about resurrection: it is the now that
counts. No one knows what comes after death: it is probably all over. In an
Internet world where money, holidays in the Caribbean, eating in Michelin-
starred restaurants and success stories in the tabloids have become the most
important standards, is there really enough time left to waste on the meaning of
life or its lack of meaning? The reality of the upper class the decision-making
class is far removed from that of the poor, who have no say anyway. The poor
and needy, on the other hand, hardly have time to waste on crucial philosophical
issues and nor do they want it; other problems take precedence. The up-and-
coming generation has never known war, and solidarity is more or less a foreign
word, but joie de vivre is high on peoples list of priorities. Is this really all
wrong or is it just a normal development, part of the current trend?
Human beings greatest yearning is for survival; we want to be remembered by
future generations in some way or other anything to avoid being forgotten.
There has always been something historical about descendants: individuals
live on in their children. It is our longing not to die, our secret wish to live on, to
create something unforgettable while we are alive and document the extent of
our achievement for the sake of our descendants. It is a way of making time
continue, thereby enabling us to lay claim to immortality. Human beings want to
excel themselves in order to remain unforgotten, and perhaps even eternal, like
the gods on Mount Olympus.
People who are distinctly egocentric are particularly at risk of succumbing to the
temptation of assured immortality. Immortality is not just the desire to live on,
however, but to play an important part in society, political life, a company or an
administration. Others attempt to stand out through their possessions, money,
fame as sports personalities, conductors or artists. The desire for ever greater
achievement is everywhere.
This yearning for immortality has its roots in the depths of every persons
subconscious. Not everyone has the opportunity or the means to follow the call
of his or her unconscious self. But that call is nevertheless heard at some point
or other when we are being creative, when we are in dire need or perhaps at a
moment of happiness. Where does this yearning come from? What does it really
mean? Buried deep in the self, it is the voice from another world we are
hearing; it comes from the heart of the ego, from the cosmic consciousness.