Death Anxiety and Creative Impulse -- Psychology and Life

Author: Feng Chuan
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-12-01
Features: This little book was written intermittently over nine years. Initially, the idea was simply to clarify the motivation behind literary creation, that is, the ancient impulse to pursue immortality through "establishing words," and what significance it holds in humanity's struggle against death. It has always been a question that attracts me yet troubles me deeply, because I have seen that irresistible creative impulse in many people, yet I have never understood what fundamental need it stems from. — As is well known, Freud explained the creative impulse as "the sublimation of libidinal desire" or "a disguised satisfaction of libidinal desire." However, this explanation is hardly convincing, because in ancient Chinese literati, who were not subjected to severe sexual repression, as well as in modern Western scholars like Foucault, who have experienced the liberation of sexual repression, the creative impulse has not disappeared due to the fulfillment of sexual desire. This situation reminds us that literary creation is not, as Freud claimed, a disguised satisfaction of libidinal desire, but rather aims to fulfill deeper meaningful needs in the human heart.