On Thoughtlessness: An Existential Examination of Death Denial, Meaning, and Play

Expanding the study of thoughtlessness, this book considers its role in situations such as group hate and the existential themes of avoidance of thinking about death and despair.

Within the framework of existentialism, the author argues, there are different lenses through which to conceive our relationship to meaning, such as avoidance of thinking about the possibility of our death, and episodic—sometimes lasting—feelings that the world, and our place in it, is meaningless. Making this foray into existential thinking reveals a new light in which to view thoughtlessness; or, one’s inability, or lack thereof, to conceive of a position outside of one’s immediate conscious awareness. The picture becomes more complex, however, as the author explores the realms of social theory and psychoanalysis and their connections to thoughtlessness. Ultimately, thoughtlessness can be overcome both individually and socially by reducing our reliance on a thin notion of objectivity and reintroducing a notion of play in language and interpretation.