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Presentation . 2026
License: CC BY
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Presentation . 2026
License: CC BY
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Presentation . 2026
License: CC BY
Data sources: Datacite
ZENODO
Presentation . 2026
License: CC BY
Data sources: Datacite
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The Illusion of Digital Immortality: Depth Psychology of Thanatophobia, Data Decay, and the Chronology of Forgetting

Authors: Krug, Peter Siegfried;

The Illusion of Digital Immortality: Depth Psychology of Thanatophobia, Data Decay, and the Chronology of Forgetting

Abstract

This publication analyzes the psychological and sociological phenomenon of digital self-presentation as a defense mechanism against the fear of death (Thanatophobia) and the "second death"—the final disappearance of a person from collective memory.It examines the "terror management theory" in the context of social media ("Like" as a confirmation of existence), the fragility of digital archives ("Bit Rot"), and contrasts the fleeting nature of social media content with lasting intellectual capital (e.g., chess studies).Furthermore, the publication provides a historical chronology of forgetting, highlighting that the digital age accelerates oblivion rather than preventing it, comparing current trends with antiquity, the Middle Ages, and the industrial era. It concludes with a critical analysis of influencers as temporary phenomena rather than immortal figures.Includes a biography and mission statement focusing on systemic abuse documentation and chess composition studies.DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.18834375

Keywords

Thanatophobia Digital Immortality Cultural Memory Terror Management Theory Bit Rot Chess Composition Trauma Studies

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selected citations
These citations are derived from selected sources.
This is an alternative to the "Influence" indicator, which also reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically).
BIP!Citations provided by BIP!
popularity
This indicator reflects the "current" impact/attention (the "hype") of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network.
BIP!Popularity provided by BIP!
influence
This indicator reflects the overall/total impact of an article in the research community at large, based on the underlying citation network (diachronically).
BIP!Influence provided by BIP!
impulse
This indicator reflects the initial momentum of an article directly after its publication, based on the underlying citation network.
BIP!Impulse provided by BIP!
0
Average
Average
Average