Lifton and Olson have argued that one of the defining characteristics for human beings is their need to feel connected to something greater than themselves, and to make sure that even beyond biological termination some part of them remains wedded to the flow of life. They refer to this as a need for symbolic immortality and identify five different means by which it can be pursued. For this paper I would like you to first discuss Lifton and Olson’s concept of symbolic immortalityand the five modes by which it is pursued. Then I want you to select two public figures, either in contemporary popular culture or from another period of history, and compare and contrast their quests for symbolic immortality. What mode or modes did they utilize in their efforts to achieve symbolic immortality? What do you find most interesting about their attempts? What do they reflect about the moment these figures are, or were, living in?