Am I a Nihilist? I’m starting to wonder.
Has anybody studied the history of Nihilism at all?
Does anyone have some book recommendations?
If you have anything to say about Nihilism, please post it in this thread.
I’m open to talking about most any aspect of the history of Nihilism or how different people might define it.
From Dictionary.com
ni⋅hil⋅ism
/ˈnaɪəˌlɪzəm, ˈni-/ [nahy-uh-liz-uhm, nee-]
–noun
- Philosophy.
a. an extreme form of skepticism: the denial of all real existence or the possibility of an objective basis for truth.
b. nothingness or nonexistence.
Origin:
1810–20; < L nihil nothing (var. of nihilum; see nil ) + -ism
a. I don’t deny that something exists, but I do know there is no objective basis for “truth”.
b. I’m unsure if there is nothingness or if nonexistence exists
From Wikipedia
Nihilism (from the Latin nihil, nothing) is a philosophical position that argues that existence is without objective meaning, purpose, or intrinsic value. Nihilists generally assert that objective morality does not exist, so subsequently there is no objective moral value with which to logically prefer one action over another. Nihilists who argue that there is no objective morality may claim that existence has no intrinsic higher meaning or goal. They may also claim that there is no reasonable proof or argument for the existence of a higher ruler or creator, or posit that even if higher rulers or creators exist, humanity has no moral obligation to worship them.
I definitely agree with that sentiment. Am I a Nihilist?
Why is nihilism such a dirty word? Why is it a terrible thing to say you are a nihilist?
In most contexts, Nietzsche defined the term as any philosophy that results in an apathy toward life and a poisoning of the human soul—and opposed it vehemently. Nietzsche’s deep concern with nihilism was part of his intense reaction to Schopenhauer’s doctrine of the denial of the will. Nietzsche describes it as “the will to nothingness” or, more specifically:
In these terms, I am not a nihilist… but aspects of Christianity are.
I don’t know who came up with the concept of Nihilisim. In some ways it has always struck me as a waste of time, arguing about meaninglessness. If christian’s didn’t think that their actions had “meaning”,and, would culminate in their going to heaven or hell, then it probably wouldn’t be an issue at all. To me it’s kind of like arguing about Apathy.
If Nihilism is defined as Nietzsche defines it, then Christianity (indeed most religions) are guilty of being Nihilistic. Most religions “judge the world, as it is, ought NOT to be”. They set standards for people as we apparently are not “as we should be” or that we are not all that we can be. Christians nihilisticly believe that this is a fallen world.
I believe that we are what we are. We can set goals and achieve them, but we will always be ourselves. We are not “fallen” (which is totally nihilistic thinking according to Nietzsche). This means I’m not a nihilist, according to Nietzsche.
Here’s another thing: Christians DON’T believe their actions have meaning, in terms of God. (Actually they believe that they do and they don’t, which are totally conflicting), I digress; My point was that there is no action that a person can do to ‘save themselves’ from being cut off from God. Only one action matters, that is asking Jesus into your life and acknowledging he died for you. All other actions technically don’t matter to god (apparently according to modern protestantism). This is nihilism; actions don’t matter.
Once when I was a boy, I asked my father, the pastor, about this (my dad was a pastor like Nietzsche’s!). I was a good Christian little boy trying fervently to live a good Christian life. I was annoyed at the fact that a totally sinful murderer could live to be 99, cheating, lying, stealing, raping, killing, etc. and get into heaven by giving his heart to God in the last minutes. I said, “Dad, this is totally unfair! How can this be? Why should I try to be a good boy all my life when IT DOESN’T REALLY MATTER?” It is on this point that the true Nietzsche-defined nihilism is clearly evident. As a little boy, I was pointing out to my father that Christianity was Nihilism. Nothing, nothing, nothing mattered in this life except one thing… being saved to get into heaven.
If you were wondering, my dad’s response to my question was that by being a good boy all my life, I’d build treasures in heaven. How lame is that!? Even as a kid, I thought it was a lame answer.
I know Nietzsche considers chritianity to be Decadent, and, nihilistic too. christians don’t see it that way. And by actions, I include thoughts as actions too, i.e. such as “impure thoughts”.
Bane:
Depends on the Christian sect being looked at.
Not all forms of Christianity are the same:
Forms that fall under Restorationism and NRM’s (New Religious Movement) categories don’t often take the approach you describe; most take an approach of something akin to Earth life being a kind of carbon filter for the water that is humanity.
Orthodoxy sees man rooted in the Earth and it is only through the mercy of God, that the actions of man can allow him to gain acceptance by God.
However, that said, you are correct that Mainline Protestants and most Anabaptist’s see the world in the way that you described, and these are the two forms that dominate the popularity of American Protestantism; chiefly Calvinism, Lutheran, Baptist, and Evangelical.
Nihilism is a waste of time.
If you are a Nihilist and find out your wrong. You have wasted your time
If you decide you want to be a Nihilist and find out your right you think the whole universe is a waste of time and as your in it, you too are a waste of time.
Nihilists are good for one thing.
Laughing at 
It says they MAY claim existence has no intrinsic higher meaning, but is there any reason for taking it to such a conclusion?
How would you “find out you’re wrong?” Why, if you’re wrong, have you wasted your time? How can the universe be a “waste of time?” Wouldn’t one have to assume the universe has meaning for it to “waste time?”
If you actually think this, then you shouldn’t try to be a “good boy” at all as it is not what you desire.
True nihilism in my opinion is the denial of metaphysical arguments.
popular nihilism is people being depressed.
I was raise to think this way. There is one way, the narrow road. I was raised to think like a nihilist. Nothing really mattered but getting to heaven. This life is infinitely small compared to eternity in heaven or hell.
I love it! I appreciate how popular nihilism is often made fun of. Like in the Big Lebowski.
Nihilists - “That’s not fair!”
Walter - “Not fair!? Who’s the fucking nihilist!”
In order for a higher meaning, there has to be a higher intelligence with intention. I don’t believe in God, thus there is no higher intention, thus there is no intrinsic higher meaning. The development of life was not intended by anything. Natural selection does not have a goal in mind. It doesn’t ‘progress’ anywhere. We are not evolving to any end. It is a mindless, intentionless mechanical process.
Friedrich Heinrich Jacobi coined the term Nihilism in a polemic against Kantianism.
Why is God necessary for higher meaning, unless that is how it’s defined? I would say the attribution of meaning by an individual gives it a “higher meaning,” as before it was meaningless.
Perhaps the perspective in which you look at life and religion is needing to be widened.
If you know it is limited, and find that to be a problem, then I would say this is a good thing as it will help you know that limited scope is at least one perspective that you do not enjoy.
I think you have to be careful about interpreting Nietzsche’s nihilism. My own view is that his argument was against theistic morality as a grant of absolute value to beings accidental within the flux. He considered that it serves as either a preventative means, or an antidote, to humans’ subject to rebelling against the reality of the meaningless in life (as would be natural for us to do in an indifferent universe) and therefore leaves us bereft of the ability to know life fully. So while the Christian God is a ‘fundamental falsity’, an empty construct, an inversion of 'true’ and ‘false’, it’s also perfectly understandable and would be expected to arise as a product of our instinctual need for self-preservation. It still has at its source that instinct, which he called a cosmological ‘will to power’. But he believed that the theologians had degraded and perverted that instinct, so he killed off their God. The point was to reclaim God, or value, or life, or whatever you want to call it, through sweeping away empty constructs and doing a reversal of ‘true’ and ‘false’. The affirmation of the Overman, “if that be life, so let it be, once again!” is still a pretty religious one IMO, but necessarily grounded in “God is a lie”. So his nihilism is based on the awareness of the falsity, and understood in that context.
Its hypothetical
Because living life as if everything was a waste of time and finding out that its not a waste of time is a waste of time.
Not realy
I view Nihilism as a sort of stimulus for change, in this case it is only a temporary state of challenging currently held beliefs, rather than wallowing in this nihilism I think it is important to take the next step upwards towards new, higher ideals. Maybe.
I’m a moral nihilist. I don’t think there are such things as factual/intrinsic/objective moral values. I’m pretty sure I’m not alone in this sentiment around these parts.