Zapffe's theory is that humans are born with an overdeveloped skill (understanding, self-knowledge) which does not fit into nature's design. The human craving for justification on matters such as life and death cannot be satisfied, hence humanity has a need that nature cannot provide satisfaction for. The tragedy, following this theory, is that humans spend all their time trying not to be human.
Here's my sardonic (some may say cynical) take on his "four principal defense mechanisms":
- Isolation: work ethic, keep busy so you don't have to think about things too much
- Anchoring: religion
- Distraction: TV, web, reading blogs...
- Sublimation: philosophy, science
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