How can someone become a nihilist?

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Starfarer 5/mai./2023 às 8:03

How can someone get to the point where they believe that life and existence are meaningless? This ideology doesn't make sense to me.

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Escrito originalmente por Grynn:

If you look at life without the bias of lies and cope humanity has created you're then faced with a certain truth; that there is no meaning, purpose, morality, god, value, ideals, etc.

Nihilism, at least in terms of philosophy, is the closest thing we'll get to the harsh truth of reality. But people don't like the idea that life has no meaning so they lie, they lie because they hate the cold, indifferent universe and their place in it. So in their fear they gave birth to the fantasies I listed above as a defence mechanism to help them sleep better at night.

There must be meaning behind everything. Behind every action. Behind every rock or blade of grass.
...but why? Why the hell is meaning so important? To me it sounds more like a burden.

You get meaning, purpose, religion, philosophy and all the other things nihilism rejects, put it in a big pot, stir it around until it's nothing but ♥♥♥♥ and you don't know whats real anymore.
People hate nihilism because it takes away their beloved lies they can't live without. You've become dependant on it and like a drug addict without it you freak out.

At the end of the day we're nothing more than animals howling in the dark because it's better than silence. Just causality, atoms rubbing together, and you'll never be more than what you are despite what your imagination tells you.

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Exibindo comentários 16–30 de 88

Othobrithol 5/mai./2023 às 8:57

Escrito originalmente por 󠀡󠀡:
Escrito originalmente por Othobrithol:
Exactly.
Ya gotta start quoting people, buddy.;)

been awak way too long at this point, sorry

#16

saranacX 5/mai./2023 às 8:58

Escrito originalmente por King Narwhal:
Escrito originalmente por saranacX:
Easy. If you're an atheist and just believe you're molecules in motion, in a universe headed towards ultimate heat death, what significance does life (or anything for that matter) ultimately have?

Of course you can live life as if it had meaning (and we certainly crave meaning) but it's just an illusion at the end of the day.

...and that's where religion comes in. Woohoo!
Don't worry, theists can just believe that nothing in life has any meaning because of a potentially infinite afterlife following it that is contingent only on belief, whether it be some sort of afterlife dimension or infinite reincarnation. Any meaning to life is pointless as such a short period will be swept away by infinite time, especially for Calvanistic ones where it's just random chance anyways and you're either safe or screwed automatically.

Similarly, atheists can live as if life has meaning by accepting that this is the only life they have, so they should make the most of the time they do have. This usually ends up as humanism, generally trying to improve the lives of all of humanity, not out of some sense of divine duty, but simply out of being a good person and realizing that being part of everyone means making life better for everyone means a better life for oneself as well.

Nihilism and non-Nihilism work for everyone!

But on the religious view life does have ultimate meaning. A meaning found within the metaphysical realm that encompasses it. That's very different from how one chooses to live their life (if they even have free will). Yes the atheist can live life as if it had meaning. Again we crave meaning and can't live consistently without it. But this is subjective meaning, not objective. Which was my point.

#17

OoOoOoooOOoOoorgle 5/mai./2023 às 9:07

Escrito originalmente por 󠀡󠀡:
Escrito originalmente por OoOoOoooOOoOoorgle:
Because many who loudly and proudly wave the flag of nihilism aren't in fact very nihilistic.
🎯

Even in Grynn's post, he or she stated it in their own words. It's right there. It can't be seen, I suppose.

Actually what's funny is, I think Grynn's takes are very accurate most of the time - just not always for the reason(s) presumed by herself or others.

#18

saranacX 5/mai./2023 às 9:11

Escrito originalmente por Othobrithol:
Escrito originalmente por saranacX:
Easy. If you're an atheist and just believe you're molecules in motion, in a universe headed towards ultimate heat death, what significance does life (or anything for that matter) ultimately have?
As much as theist bigotry wants it to be so, being an atheist does not innately make you a nihilist and reject morality.

I never said they all were. But every nihilist I've seen was an atheist =P

#19

Rio 5/mai./2023 às 9:16

A toaster doesn't need a purpose to exist, nor does a broken tv.

Nor does a footprint in the beach sand that'll only last until the tide comes in and the waves wash it away.

#20

Starfarer 5/mai./2023 às 9:21

Escrito originalmente por ⛧:
A toaster doesn't need a purpose to exist, nor does a broken tv.

Nor does a footprint in the beach sand that'll only last until the tide comes in and the waves wash it away.

Good point

#21

OoOoOoooOOoOoorgle 5/mai./2023 às 9:25

Escrito originalmente por ⛧:
Nor does a footprint in the beach sand that'll only last until the tide comes in and the waves wash it away.

This is it, right here.
The footprint needs and has no purpose.

But it may have a ton of meaning for me - if I'm there to see who made it, or even the one making it myself.

#22

Rio 5/mai./2023 às 9:26

Escrito originalmente por OoOoOoooOOoOoorgle:
Escrito originalmente por ⛧:
Nor does a footprint in the beach sand that'll only last until the tide comes in and the waves wash it away.

This is it, right here.
The footprint needs and has no purpose.

But it may have a ton of meaning for me - if I'm there to see who made it, or even the one making it myself.

Thats fine. You can find meaning in me, but I can find no meaning in myself.

#23

Sir Seanicus, Esq. 5/mai./2023 às 9:27

Some people never grew out of the angsty teenager rebellion edgelord phase and made it their personality.

#24

OoOoOoooOOoOoorgle 5/mai./2023 às 9:28

Escrito originalmente por ⛧:
Escrito originalmente por OoOoOoooOOoOoorgle:

This is it, right here.
The footprint needs and has no purpose.

But it may have a ton of meaning for me - if I'm there to see who made it, or even the one making it myself.

Thats fine. You can find meaning in me, but I can find no meaning in myself.

Oh I didn't mean for it to sound directed necessarily, was rhetorical. But yeah absolutely, I agree with this as well.

#25

Grynn 5/mai./2023 às 9:28

Escrito originalmente por OoOoOoooOOoOoorgle:
Escrito originalmente por ⛧:
Nor does a footprint in the beach sand that'll only last until the tide comes in and the waves wash it away.

This is it, right here.
The footprint needs and has no purpose.

But it may have a ton of meaning for me - if I'm there to see who made it, or even the one making it myself.

But then aren't you also implying that meaning is subjective? Subjectivity is not truth.

#26

OoOoOoooOOoOoorgle 5/mai./2023 às 9:30

Escrito originalmente por Grynn:
Escrito originalmente por OoOoOoooOOoOoorgle:

This is it, right here.
The footprint needs and has no purpose.

But it may have a ton of meaning for me - if I'm there to see who made it, or even the one making it myself.
But then aren't you also implying that meaning is subjective? Subjectivity is not truth.

I think the way humans define "meaning" forces it into subjectivity, and I'm not convinced there's a way around that.

What the ♥♥♥♥ is "truth," though anyway? The vast majority of people don't mean anything like what they think they do when they use that word. Your above example aside.

#27

OoOoOoooOOoOoorgle 5/mai./2023 às 9:37

Escrito originalmente por snoot:
Escrito originalmente por OoOoOoooOOoOoorgle:

I think the way humans define "meaning" forces it into subjectivity, and I'm not convinced there's a way around that.

What the ♥♥♥♥ is "truth," though anyway? The vast majority of people don't mean anything like what they think they do when they use that word. Your above example aside.
Our common mental archetypes, and our mathematical understanding are the basis of some level of objective meaning.

See, but I'd just say... I don't think that's true.

Nothing born from a human mind can form an adequate model of objectivity. We just don't know or comprehend enough ♥♥♥♥, even about ourselves.

#28

Grynn 5/mai./2023 às 9:41

Escrito originalmente por OoOoOoooOOoOoorgle:
Escrito originalmente por Grynn:
But then aren't you also implying that meaning is subjective? Subjectivity is not truth.

I think the way humans define "meaning" forces it into subjectivity, and I'm not convinced there's a way around that.

So humans must lie to create meaning?

Escrito originalmente por OoOoOoooOOoOoorgle:
What the ♥♥♥♥ is "truth," though anyway? The vast majority of people don't mean anything like what they think they do when they use that word. Your above example aside.

Truth is something that is reflected in reality.

Think of it like reverse solipsism; everything within your mind is untrue, while everything outside your mind is true.
So, it doesn't matter what you think. It doesn't matter what you believe. It doesn't matter what you feel. It doesn't matter what you say. All that matters is actions in this world.

Everything in your mind is fantasy unless it's reflected by reality. Thats why, I think, logic leads to nihilism. And by nihilism I mean the rejection of non-realities people love creating, like meaning.

Última edição por Grynn; 5/mai./2023 às 9:42

#29