I used to be a nihilist (and even still somewhat do sometimes, when necessary or required to be). But as the time goes by, and I get much older now (I’m almost 40), and seeing the reality of our world, society, life, & existence, I’ve now turned into a pessimist (not just a simple pessimist, but more into philosophical pessimism, you can google & look it up if you want).
Nowadays lately, I’ve noticed that a lot of people mostly got into what’s called an “Optimistic Nihilism”. But I strongly disagree. And here is my main argument:
Unless if you’re lucky or fortunate, a lot of people or even most of us here usually won’t live a so-called perfect life (eg: successful, rich, wealthy, famous, popular, living the dreams, have lots of friends, healthy, or even just to be completely happy). A lot of people still have to toil away just to survive everyday. Many of us have to live with a lot of problems, and have to go through pain & sufferings almost everyday (I’m not living in the first world country, but I assume there are perhaps quite many people here who live quite a comfortable & even a privileged life there, so that’s also counted as being lucky/fortunate).
I’ve tried to adhere & practice nihilism (& even that so-called optimistic nihilism). But in reality, it’s not that easy & simple in practice. When your life is far from perfect, and even somewhat can be considered a failure, with a lot of problems after problems almost everyday/on a daily basis, and when things are stressful, & even depressing, to be honest, I just can’t simply just ‘nihilist away’ all those harsh reality. No, again, life is not that easy, simple, nor optimistic, in reality (unless again if you’re lucky or fortunate as I’ve explained above).
I mean, sure, I know and I understand, & even agree, that in the grand scheme of things, everything is meaningless, so it’s like we’re “free to do anything we want”, right? No. In reality, we are *NOT* free to do what we want/like, or hope, dream, expect, etc etc etc. Real life / real world / reality is very limiting in what we can do (or be). Let me ask you for example: How many of you are trapped everyday in a job or work that you don’t like? And that’s just one main example. I still even haven’t mentioned about if you have chronic pain/disease/illness for example, it will obviously become a lot/much worse.
I think people like me also have our own valid (& logical, rational) reasons to be a pessimist (or agreeing with philosophical pessimism), when looking at the world, life, (human’s) society, existence, & basically the cold, harsh, cruel reality around us everyday (I still even haven’t discussed about depressive realism, antinatalism, pro-mortalism, efilism, suicide, etc etc).
Nowadays lately, I’ve noticed that a lot of people mostly got into what’s called an “Optimistic Nihilism”. But I strongly disagree. And here is my main argument:
Unless if you’re lucky or fortunate, a lot of people or even most of us here usually won’t live a so-called perfect life (eg: successful, rich, wealthy, famous, popular, living the dreams, have lots of friends, healthy, or even just to be completely happy). A lot of people still have to toil away just to survive everyday. Many of us have to live with a lot of problems, and have to go through pain & sufferings almost everyday (I’m not living in the first world country, but I assume there are perhaps quite many people here who live quite a comfortable & even a privileged life there, so that’s also counted as being lucky/fortunate).
I’ve tried to adhere & practice nihilism (& even that so-called optimistic nihilism). But in reality, it’s not that easy & simple in practice. When your life is far from perfect, and even somewhat can be considered a failure, with a lot of problems after problems almost everyday/on a daily basis, and when things are stressful, & even depressing, to be honest, I just can’t simply just ‘nihilist away’ all those harsh reality. No, again, life is not that easy, simple, nor optimistic, in reality (unless again if you’re lucky or fortunate as I’ve explained above).
I mean, sure, I know and I understand, & even agree, that in the grand scheme of things, everything is meaningless, so it’s like we’re “free to do anything we want”, right? No. In reality, we are *NOT* free to do what we want/like, or hope, dream, expect, etc etc etc. Real life / real world / reality is very limiting in what we can do (or be). Let me ask you for example: How many of you are trapped everyday in a job or work that you don’t like? And that’s just one main example. I still even haven’t mentioned about if you have chronic pain/disease/illness for example, it will obviously become a lot/much worse.
I think people like me also have our own valid (& logical, rational) reasons to be a pessimist (or agreeing with philosophical pessimism), when looking at the world, life, (human’s) society, existence, & basically the cold, harsh, cruel reality around us everyday (I still even haven’t discussed about depressive realism, antinatalism, pro-mortalism, efilism, suicide, etc etc).
4 comments
We’re free to do whatever biology and society has programmed us to do. And sometimes not even that.
Life is the cruelest experience I have had yet. I wake up everyday wanting to die. Especially when your mind sees no way out
Don’t think too hard on things. Be what you are.
Nihilism as I’ve understood it it either existential (the creation of the earth and life is utterly random and therefor no true meaning in our human existance) which is often a rationale that people take in their suicidal moments. No god no punishment in death.
Then there’s moralistic nihilism (good and bad/evil are human constructs and are subject to change on whims, across cultures or over time) which is more for the sake of arguing philosophy. “We made the idea or right and wrong so we can’t fall back on morals to police behavior, because it is a meaningless argument”
Neither of which really translate to “do whatever you want” as consiquences to actions still exist, and that’s recognised and never challenged by nihilism. You can’t quit your job without recognising you might die of starvation in poverty, so you still have to work if you wish to live. You can’t go around killing people because we recognise the laws in place will make our lives considerably worse and there’s no net gain to retreive from carrying out your will.
I suppose this idea of “optimistic nihilism” falls more as a response to the dread that comes from existential nihilism, a “carpe diem” sense of purpose in life. And to that sentiment you are right, that shit’s impossible to do in an underprivileged life. I do think it could be turned into a “enjoy the smaller moments” but given that we are on a suicide discussion board, i doubt that’s possible for many of us as well.