How We are Nihilists

How we are Nihilists.

1.

Oh how we wish to forget that we are nihilists. We all know but feign to admit it, that every one of us have been there already, as newborns, as innocence itself, pulled from our uterine existence into a much colder, much louder, much brighter world, naked in both dress and meaning, crying because somehow we are suddenly at the mercy of everything around us, the mind a blank slate and a white canvas. For us, it was an experience so meaningless that we don’t even remember it. But the trauma of that experience still remains as the soil from which every subsequent experience would follow, growing as a fundamental fear of that moment—nihilism.

2.

Nihilism, as a transition, has its uses. As far as I can tell, most people seek happiness more than wisdom. Some don’t seek at all. But seeking happiness, or not seeking at all, is fairly easy to come by, insofar as it is an antidote for nihilism—we suppress our fears, our nature, rely on false hopes and promises, and resort to any sort of hedonism to attain this.

To those more adventurous of mind, and everyone who seeks wisdom and to generate his own insights, they must at some point reach the pit of nihilism, and therefor head in the opposite direction of happiness, so that they may attain higher riches. One’s umbilical cord must be severed from the illusions of prevailing beliefs to, in a sense, be born again, naked as the day he was brought into the world so that he may start all over, but under the artistic brush of his own hand. He discovers that the world isn't against him, but is there to aid in his expression.

3.

Nihilism, as a world-view however, is a self-mockery. It is the outlook of a newborn. Every time someone claims that everything is pointless they render themselves and their claim just as pointless. How can we care what this man thinks if he finds even himself pointless? We might instead laugh at his. One will find that the nihilist contradicts himself the moment he gives meaning to his outlook, and as soon as he becomes a nihilist, he no longer is one. He is self-negating—meaningless.

4.

Even today, our nihilism peers from beneath our costumes, seen only by what is meant to conceal it, that great web of deceit thrown over the apparent world, forming itself into the most pessimistic and nihilistic viewpoints: that of the common religion.

Every religion takes due care to express their dissatisfaction with the world, the body, the senses, the instincts, desires, worldly attachments, materiality, physicality, and everything animal and earthly about us, rendering themselves, and essentially everything, completely meaningless. “Do not love the world or anything in the world” (John 2:15). What does that say about us?

Everything is not worth our love, even the moments, the people and the experiences we love. They preach the vanity and meaninglessness that is our very existence (Ecclesiastes), that everything is nothing more than ever-changing, impermanence, suffering, (Dukkha) decaying, dying flesh (Romans) and bone to dust, with no chance at confidence in ourselves (Philippians), mixed with the most impure and immoral desires (Galatians), that in order to add purpose to such a lazy view of the world, they create other-worlds, after-lives, and alternate dimensions, souls and spirits, unearthly existence as reward, anything that isn't of this world, playing Genesis, playing God, leaving a blueprint of this mockery for others to play in, so that those who have the fear of leaving nothing but a blank canvas at the end of their lives, have a paint-by-numbers to brush over their own nihilism, concealing it.

When a faithful man declares that a world without God is a world without meaning, and that such a world implies that we are dumb, soulless, organic machines, they are displaying their nihilism. What he is really trying to say is that this is how he views the world, if he wasn't at present lulled to delusion by the soft songs of his priestly promises, and so caught up in maintaining them.

Such a nihilistic outlook, which in turn leads one to acquire faith in other worlds besides this one, is likely the result of shame, having been told his whole life that all of his desires, his instincts, his senses, and his very physical existence—everything enjoyable about life—is sinful and evil. Finding “faith” isn’t a cure, but a symptom of nihilism.

5.

Nature hides more than it reveals. There is no truth in it. There is no knowledge in it. No; nothing that isn’t an artifact of man is going to give us the answers we want to hear. Nature is exempt from us trying to shoehorn our purpose beneath her. But as she expresses herself through us, we too express ourselves along side her, creating religions, literature, history, art, science—all her self-portraits. Meaning and purpose are artifacts of man, and, if we still wish to remain among her, artifacts of nature as well.

Caution, Language:



It had to be done. I'm sorry. I couldn't resist. I'M WEAK

I'm a big time Nihilist not afraid to admit it.
and by that I mean I just don't care.

reply to post by DeadSeraph


Whenever I hear nihilist I see myself blacked out in someone elses pool with an empty bottle of whiskey floating next to me. spot on!

Nice thoughts, but I doubt a nihilist would be affected by the idea of his beliefs being a mockery, as there would be no meaning to other people's thoughts. This might seem like a freedom compared to the lifestyle of other beliefs in which a person must obey to specific doctrines with the fear of being ostracised accompanying failure.

As always, well written and thought-provoking. Although, I will admit that I disagree with much of what you wrote, especially this extract:

3.Nihilism, as a world-view however, is a self-mockery. It is the outlook of a newborn. Every time someone claims that everything is pointless they render themselves and their claim just as pointless. How can we care what this man thinks if he finds even himself pointless? We might instead laugh at his. One will find that the nihilist contradicts himself the moment he gives meaning to his outlook, and as soon as he becomes a nihilist, he no longer is one. He is self-negating—meaningless.

While the definition of "Nihilist" is debatable, you are viewing it through a very narrow perspective. It is not the outlook of a new born, but rather a complex pessimistic perspective that one discovers after - ironically - searching for meaning and purpose in their lives. The true Nihilist does not care what people think about them in terms of their philosophical worldview; they often feel sorry for the naivety and obliviousness held by the optimist who has not yet realised the nature of reality. I fail to see the logic in the last part I underlined from your quote.

Until somebody can prove that life has intrinsic meaning, purpose or value, people will continue to identify with Nihilism.

reply to post by Aphorism


No, we are not all Nihilists. Even if it's true that everything is meaningless.

Webster's Dictionary
Nihlism - the belief that traditional morals, ideas, beliefs, etc., have no worth or value

Do most people see like life this? No, the majority believe in a God which gives meaning, and even non-believers believe in "treat others as you'd like to be treated" humanitarian morality which is still a moral system.

By the way, children are not born as "nihilist", they do not believe that morality has no "value". How can you believe something has no worth or value if you do not even understand it's existence?

That's like saying, since babies don't understand "gravity" that means the idea of "gravity" is meaningless. No it isn't. Whether they understand the idea of gravity or not, they still live within it learning to crawl and eventually walk.

reply to post by arpgme

nihilism |ˈnīəˌlizəm, ˈnē-|
noun
the rejection of all religious and moral principles, often in the belief that life is meaningless.

Oxford English Dictionary

I used this definition.

Do you think the child sees life as meaningful?

reply to post by Aphorism


How can a baby reject religion when it has not even learned the word or meaning?

reply to post by Dark Ghost

While the definition of "Nihilist" is debatable, you are viewing it through a very narrow perspective. It is not the outlook of a new born, but rather a complex pessimistic perspective that one discovers after - ironically - searching for meaning and purpose in their lives. The true Nihilist does not care what people think about them in terms of their philosophical worldview; they often feel sorry for the naivety and obliviousness held by the optimist who has not yet realised the nature of reality. I fail to see the logic in the last part I underlined from your quote.

Until somebody can prove that life has intrinsic meaning, purpose or value, people will continue to identify with Nihilism.

Thanks for reading, Ghost.

I did come across this difficulty.

I tried to prove that meaning and purpose are artifacts of man and therefor nature. We create meaning (another very debatable term), and think meaningfully and with purpose. And since humanity are intrinsic to nature (another very debatable term), therefor meaning and value are as well.

So it would be up to the nihilist to prove that we do not generate meaning, and that we are not a part of nature.

reply to post by Itisnowagain


I never said they reject religion.

reply to post by Aphorism

nihilism |ˈnīəˌlizəm, ˈnē-|
noun
the rejection of all religious and moral principles, often in the belief that life is meaningless.

Oxford English Dictionary

Even with this definition, It still doesn't describe a newborn. Newborns do not "reject" religious or moral principles since they don't even understand them.

A baby doesn't understand "meaning" so to them life isn't "meaningLESS" or "meaningFUL". It's an experience happening and they are not aware enough to make an opinion either way.

Not being aware of something does not mean you have an opinion on it, in fact, it means the opposite, that you DON'T have an opinion on it yet.

That's like saying "is gravity meaningful or meaningless" a baby doesn't understand the concept.

reply to post by Aphorism


You said you used this definition.

nihilism |ˈnīəˌlizəm, ˈnē-|
noun
the rejection of all religious and moral principles, often in the belief that life is meaningless.

Oxford English Dictionary

reply to post by arpgme

Nihilism (/ˈnaɪ.ɨlɪzəm/ or /ˈniː.ɨlɪzəm/; from the Latin nihil, nothing) is the philosophical doctrine suggesting the negation of one or more putatively meaningful aspects of life. Most commonly, nihilism is presented in the form of existential nihilism, which argues that life is without objective meaning, purpose, or intrinsic value.

Wikipedia

There's a lot of reading out there if you want to take a look.

I am speaking of the existential crisis. The child is born into this crisis.

reply to post by Itisnowagain


You're correct. However I'm not playing word games today. There's much philosophy on nihilism if you wish to learn about it.

reply to post by Aphorism


I am still waiting for you to live up to your name.

Aphorism
reply to post by Itisnowagain

 

You're correct. However I'm not playing word games today. There's much philosophy on nihilism if you wish to learn about it.

What are you playing exactly? Cynic?
Why not try Aphorism?

reply to post by Itisnowagain


For someone who hates words and concepts, you sure like to roll around in them.

reply to post by Aphorism


I liked the old name - at least it was more honest.