A negação da morte e o negacionismo na pandemia da COVID-19

Abstract

Death moves us when we are faced with the loss of another person. The absence of someone reminds us of our own finitude and transience. Often, we reflect on our fleeting existence only in the face of another’s death, and in this confrontation, we awaken to the fear of our own mortality. However, despite the relentless broadcasting of millions of deaths worldwide, part of the population remained indifferent during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this context, this study investigates the denial of death and the spread of denialism throughout the pandemic period. To do so, we draw on Freudian theory, linking it to the desensitization of the contemporary subject in the face of constant exposure to death tolls. Freud (1930), in “Civilization and Its Discontents”, teaches us the importance of studying the culture of one’s time to understand social malaise. We observe that the refusal to acknowledge one's own finitude is inherent to human nature, but it becomes dangerous when transformed into an official discourse, particularly when voiced by national leaders—as was the case in Brazil. Freud’s “Group Psychology and the Analysis of the Ego” (1921) proves crucial in understanding this phenomenon, as it demonstrates how leader worship can reinforce mechanisms of contagion and suggestibility.