The hidden problem at the heart of nihilism | Alex O'Connor

Comments · 3K

• KL

  @KlaasDeforche · 9 months ago

  How is it ludicrous for there to be no reason for our existence 🤔 to me it would be weird for there to be a reason.

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• US

  @user-ib9dj7yr5t · 9 months ago

  "The universe is not required to be in perfect harmony with human ambition." Carl Sagan

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• WO

  @Wordgoblin · 8 months ago (edited)

  I took Nihilism as a recognition that there is no <i>intrinsic</i> meaning to anything we do. &nbsp;For me, that realization was very freeing, because it allowed me to understand that meaning, value, and purpose is something we can choose and pursue as both individuals, and as a society full of people who we have to build shared value with. &nbsp;It makes our choices so much more important, and the task of deciding value more imperative.

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• HA

  @haijj · 9 months ago

  The strength in Alex is being able to say “I don’t know” - especially when everyone else makes up unsubstantiated bullshit to fill in for a question they don’t actually have an answer for.

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• LO

  @lostinfrp · 6 months ago (edited)

  I&apos;m ok with my life being meaningless, what I can&apos;t stand is the people trying to inject a meaning to my life.

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• JU

  @juulaapjes999 · 9 months ago (edited)

  i just drank a glass of water depsite not being thirsty thats my counterargument

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• LI

  @Lightenski · 9 months ago

  Ah this just makes me feel all Christmassy

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• WA

  @walkerjoyce55 · 9 months ago

  I appreciate the lack of ads

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• ET

  @etzenhammer · 8 months ago

  For me the answer is: since I as a human understand how pain and joy works, it&apos;s my obligation not to harm other people and bring joy to the world as much as possible. That&apos;s enough for me. Being here is absurd and it doesn&apos;t make sense, so try not to hurt other people, be kind and have a good time.

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• NG

  @ngbernard · 9 months ago

  I love all of Alex&apos;s points, but I would propose that he&apos;s not upset or anxious not because he&apos;s agnostic, but because that&apos;s his temperament. &nbsp;You can find very chill but very deeply religious people, and you can find very chill and very deeply atheist people. &nbsp;The deeply religious person might say &quot;God&apos;s in control, so I don&apos;t have to be&quot;, and the atheist might say &quot;I&apos;m in control, and I choose to chill, and that&apos;s all there is to it&quot;. &nbsp;If you have that temperament, you can find comfort in any philosophy as long as you negotiate away anything in it that tells you to be anxious.

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• CA

  @cailenblackwell · 9 months ago (edited)

  my def of nihilism is like zen buddhism.. just chop wood carry water, no other reasons needed. To just be wholly with your life and not worry about anything extra.

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• LE

  @lesleconsdudra · 6 months ago

  <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUJSsfbcMh0&amp;t=1858">30:58</a> &quot;because THERE IS A REASON why you heard about these philosophers&quot; and juste casually like that the man bring meaning into life

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