She explained that those parts of us that are animal-like—snotty snouts, pus-filled boils, milk-laden reminders, often subconscious, that just like other animals, we have an expiration date.
"So we invest a lot of effier in our bodies and try to transform them from their natural animal-like ways," she said, noting practices such as wearing makeup, clothes, tattoos, and perfumes and even engaging in practices as simple as brushing one's hair. "It's a defense against the anxiety associated with awareness of mortality."