A Wild Chat with Dr Sheldon Solomon on Terror Management Theory
In this episode, Sarah Wilson talks with social psychologist Dr. Sheldon Solomon about Terror Management Theory (TMT), which posits that humanity’s awareness of mortality drives the creation of cultural worldviews, religions, and myths that buffer death anxiety. Solomon explains how decades of experiments—ranging from mortality salience prompts to political preference shifts after 9/11—show that reminders of death increase in‑group favoritism, out‑group hostility, and support for charismatic or authoritarian leaders. He argues that these defensive mechanisms shape everything from everyday consumerism to large‑scale political movements, and that understanding TMT could help us build more cooperative, life‑affirming institutions. The conversation also touches on the philosophical roots of TMT in Ernest Becker’s work and its relevance to today’s climate of existential uncertainty.
Who Wants an Early Read of I Eat the Stars?
Author Sarah Wilson shares a draft of her upcoming book "I Eat the Stars" and asks readers for help identifying compelling excerpts. She plans to turn those snippets into social‑media tiles to attract new readers before the official launch. Wilson...
Who's Taking the Minutes?
Sarah Wilson’s latest post highlights a community‑sourced list of speculative‑fiction titles, now available as a downloadable PDF. The list was originally shared in a Substack thread where subscribers exchanged recommendations, and subscriber GeeBee (Georgie) compiled the suggestions into a single...
A Wild Live with Jessica Serrante on Joanna Macy and The Great Turning
In this episode, host Sarah Wilson talks with climate activist‑turned‑coach Jessica Serrante about her journey through grief after the death of Joanna Macy, the visionary behind The Great Turning. Jessica shares how she navigated anticipatory and post‑loss grief, using Joanna’s...