Also: is life precious because it’s finite? This episode originally aired on June 7, 2020.
You know, that's a philosophical question, Stephen.
Right.
I apologize for going all philosophy on the psychologist.
I'm Angela Duckworth.
I'm Stephen Dubner, and you're listening to no Stupid Questions.
Today on no Stupid Questions, does Sigmund Freud's concept of sublimation hold up?
I did love my mother, but I never wanted to marry her.
Well, Freud wouldn't believe you, by the way.
I know he wouldn't.
He would say, there he goes, coping.
Also, how would your life be different if you knew you were going to live forever?
The world would get very crowded.
Nobody's dying.
On the other hand, you free up all that space from cemeteries.
Yeah, exactly.
You'd start building condos.
Stephen.
Angela, you know, you do a lot of writing and podcasting.
I would say these are creative pursuits.
Are you sublimating and do you need me to define sublimating for you?