This chapter surrounds the idea of “closure” and how much humans crave that sense of satisfaction when consuming any sort of media or literature or faced with a problem out of our hands, that even when we don’t have the ending or solution specifically spelled out for us that we use pieces to fill in the blanks because we as humans cannot stand the feeling of being unsatisfied or left in limbo. This chapter made me think about something called TMT or Terror Management Theory and I know this is going to be a stretch but bare with me.
Terror Management Theory definition: “People that feel threatened by their own death and therefore adopt worldviews that allow them to find meaning and worth in their lives.” (Moore, 2022) I believe death and closure go hand in hand with each other which is why this chapter made me think of this theory.
A lot of the ways that we as humans end that feeling of un-satisfaction is with the reminder that we have a purpose and it will make sense one day because someone else is in control of the story so technically right now I might feel lost but it’s in the hands of someone else and I just have to trust that, and THAT is enough of the satisfaction that I need to tie me over. That is the basis of the Terror Management Theory; trust in a higher power that everything will work out and relieve yourself of the existential stress that comes with no closure.
Let’s focus on closure and what that can mean. When a family member dies we are overwhelmed with this intense feeling of un-satisfaction because we won’t see that beloved family member anymore. Will I ever see them again? Are they just gone? Are they in pain? Where will I go someday when it’s my time? So many questions with absolutely no answers because death is a piece of life that will always be unknown, there will never be true closure. Unless you believe in a religion… Religion promises eternal life free of pain, suffering and the feeling of no purpose. Now you no longer have the stress that could have led you to make irresponsible and erratic choices because of the intense lack of closure. Congrats your terror has been managed.
Our brain when confronted with a problem that feels entirely out of hands and cannot be concluded through our own work we will reach for other reasons to explain why these things are happening and will fill in the blanks or “gutters” with whatever high-power you’ve chosen to manage your terror of the unknown. That could be religion, drugs, intense political support and many other things.
We are faced with a problem that leaves us with no closure, we combat that problem by filling the holes with faith and make ourselves come to a conclusion that fills the gutters enough to feel satisfied. I can talk about this theory for hours and how much is connects to every single aspect of our life and all the moments we yearn for closure and direction. But for now I’ll leave you with just this, I highly recommend looking into the link below if you are curious to know more.
Citations:
Moore, M. (2022, June 14). Terror management theory: History, belief, and more. Psych Central. https://psychcentral.com/health/terror-management-theory