Nihilism
Many assume that nihilism simply means believing in nothing but it actually refers to a number of philosophical, psychological, and ethical positions. And while they all differ, these different flavors of nihilism all begin from the shared premise that there is no inherent meaning, value, or order in life.
Although Many an angsty edge-lord might get a kick out of using nihilist catchphrases to show the world their heart of darkness. In reality, most of these folks miss out on the complexity of nihilism.
Nihilism can be the basis for meaningful worldviews. Today we are going to narrow our focus down to two different branches of nihilism: existential nihilism, and cosmic nihilism (also known as cosmic pessimism). You’ll still be able to figure out which nihilism is right for you.
Part 1: Existential Nihilism
Existential nihilism is the nihilism experienced when we realize that there is no inherent meaning to our lives, and at its core, human existence is just a precarious dance upon the grave. It is up to us to create meaning in our lives through our own freedom and decisions. We can have values, but we must create and sustain them.
History Of Nihilism.
The term nihilism was first coined at the end of the eighteenth century by German philosopher Friedrich Jacobi in response to Enlightenment reason, which he worried would explain away the conditions for religion. This rationalist method explained away any spaces of uncertainty or mystery, rendering everything there was knowable.
One of the first philosophers to think through the implications of nihilism was Søren Kierkegaard, who the New York Times has referred to as the “Danish Doctor of Dread.”
Although Kierkegaard never used the word existentialism, he’s regarded as one of the fathers of modern existentialism. And while Kierkegaard wasn’t known for the substance abuse typical for many nihilists, he did pour so much sugar into his coffee that it piled up above the liquid, like an iceberg warning of adult-onset diabetes.
True story — Which is insane.
And probably more dangerous than sipping scotch before you get out of bed. Kierkegaard thought that despair was an essential part of the human experience, which he referred to as the “Sickness Unto Death”.
This human despair is dialectical, which basically means you are always at odds with yourself. Or put differently, It doesn’t get better and it doesn’t get easier.
For example, we’re either in despair because we think nothing is possible,
This despair is the root of the melancholy that plagues much of the human experience. Kierkegaard describes this experience in his book Either/Or:
“If you marry, you will regret it;
If you do not marry you also regret it;
[Whether] You marry or You do not marry, you regret both.”
Also, for Kierkegaard, this isn’t an exemption to the human condition, it is the plain idea of the human condition. For Kierkegaard, anxiety is caused by the vulnerability that lies underneath each choice. What’s more, he considers anxiety one of the manners in which we encounter freedom.
Since we’re free, we’re in charge of our own choices, and the heaviness of these choices prompts anxiety. Kierkegaard depicts this anxiety as remaining at the edge of an abyss:
“Anxiety may be compared with dizziness. He whose eye happens to look down into the yawning abyss becomes dizzy…. Hence, anxiety is dizziness of Freedom.”
Furthermore, this unnerving opportunity implies we can truly do anything, including messed up suicide endeavors through a yellow convertible.
For Kierkegaard, the best way to work through this anxiety and depression is the acknowledgment of the cosmic ludicrousness of the real world and carrying on with one’s life by faith. In any case, you’re not quick to utilize religion to battle meaningless, don’t stress, Kierkegaard believes that faith is just the mettle to endeavor a significant presence even with a meaningless world.
“Sometimes, you need to take responsibility for your own happiness.”
Just about a hundred years after Kierkegaard crumbled in the road and passed on, a French philosopher named Jean-Paul Sartre got the mantle and built up the principal unequivocally existentialist philosophy.
Sartre contended that existentialism is an approach to react to the meaningless of the universe by making meaning ourselves. So while there is not a single moral incentive insight on the planet, nor a God to breathe easy in light of, people can make significance through our own lives. There might be no remedy for despair and anxiety, yet we can in any event endeavor to make our lives significant. Nonetheless, it’s critical to recall that while existential nihilism offers us the likelihood of an important life, it promises us nothing, and it’s our duty to always make meaning. As Kierkegaard said,
“We must live forward and understand backward”.
Part 2: Cosmic Nihilism (or, Pessimism)
Since we’ve seen the manners by which existential nihilism figures out how to offer some meaning and hope, we should take a gander at the less hopeful part of nihilism, cosmic nihilism. Cosmic Nihilism is a colder, hyper-discerning part of thought which contends that there is not a single truth or meaning in the universe, and even built human implications like freedom, love, expectation, and satisfaction are simply fantasies we put stock in to adapt to the unfilled void at the focal point of our world. Indeed, even the implications we make are, best case scenario, tales that go about as ways of dealing with stress.
For the cosmic nihilist, it’s alright to keep occupied while we sit tight for the coming heat death of the universe; yet we’re kidding with ourselves in the event that we imagine that we’re equipped for making honest and genuine meaning. An existential form of this opinion is marginally more optimistic.
While existential nihilism might work for the optimists and hippies, any good edge lord knows that cosmic nihilism is the only philosophical position for those brave enough to turn themselves into a pickle.
And while not a cosmic nihilist himself, the spiritual forefather of this position is Prussian Mustache of the Year runner-up 1883, Friedrich Nietzsche.
His famous nihilist adage ‘God is dead’ has been scrawled in as many high school bathroom walls as the phone number for “your mom”. This phrase is often misinterpreted as meaning that God is dead, there is no meaning, and everything sucks. But cosmic nihilism is not a value judgment about reality or a counter-ethics to religion.
And even Nietzsche himself wasn’t ready for the full on jump into the void required for full membership to the cosmic nihilist club. Unlike Nietzschean nihilism, cosmic nihilism takes a more cold and rationalist approach to meaning.
This position, championed by the husband and wife tag team Patricia and Paul Churchland, argues that many common sense attitudes inherited from modern psychology should be dropped in favor of more scientific and empirical notions. And in an ironic twist for a married couple, they believe that notions such as love should be dismissed as folk psychology.
But a contemporary philosopher named Thomas Metzinger, argues that no such thing has ever existed. Instead of having a self inside of us, he argues that all we are is a jumbled network of neurons and chemicals. The self is just a useful fantasy we use to make sense of our experience, like a sort of psychological fairytale. And if Metzinger is right, we have to give up the illusion that humanity has any real purpose, or that we have some kind of special unique soul.
This brand of nihilism can end up sounding misanthropic. This rejection of the self-makes cosmic nihilism much less prone to ethics than it’s artsy cousin, existential nihilism.
In fact, the freedom so celebrated by the existentialist turns out to be just another illusion for the cosmic nihilist, so there isn’t anything to ground ethics. The only thing that’s certain is destruction. And if there is no value on which to build an ethical system, then one is free to do whatever they want, whether that means watching TV or engaging in the intergalactic arms trade for the sake of hitting your favorite arcade.
“In philosophical terms, I’m what’s called pessimists… we are things that labor under the illusion of having a self, programmed with total assurance that we are each somebody. When in fact everybody’s nobody.” coincidently, another misanthropic alcoholic.
Part 3: Existential Nihilism vs. Cosmic Nihilism
So at this point, you might be wondering, what’s the right nihilism for me? Well: do you find yourself fighting off the despair of a shallow and meaningless world?
Do you continue to search for purpose and goodness despite your awareness of this meaninglessness? Are most of your friends and associates sentient animals with important jobs? Well, then you might be an existential nihilist. Love and meaning are possible for you, but it’ll take some hard work without a guarantee.
So pick up some Kierkegaard, Sartre, or Simone de Beauvoir, and hit the local bistro for some strong cocktails and spirited conversation. On the other hand, do you doubt the inherent meaning of human existence? Do you feel no ethical obligations to friends or family? Is your best friend a bird-person? Well, then, cosmic nihilism might be the life philosophy you’ve been waiting for.
If that’s the case, download season one of True Detective and search the dark web for some nootropic drugs to enhance your rational capacities. And maybe set up a countdown clock on your wall to get you ready for the eventual heat death of our universe. And if you desire a belief system that merges poorly written science fiction with an alien based volcanic cosmology and a multi-thousand dollar commitment, well, call Tom Cruise.
And even if you still feel an urge to find meaning in the world, spending time with shows like Rick and Morty and Bojack Horseman can give some insight into how the philosophical ramifications of nihilism look in practice.
Neither type of nihilism is about giving up completely, but rather, they both offer approaches to moving forward in a largely uncertain world. But if you are a cosmic nihilist, and you’ve got a date in next Valentines Day…. maybe wait until the third of the fourth date to bring it up?
And as always, thanks for reading guys! Peace!
