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

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.