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Tired of being a nihilist

Discussion in 'Off-topic Discussion' started by Deleted Account, May 6, 2019.

  1. For those that can relate, how did you get out of this rut? I just see life as kind of meaningless and it's sad--I started thinking like this after 22 I believe (in my mid 20s now). I remember having goals and used to take life so seriously. It even affects me at my job--like "what's the point of working hard" when I could just work mediocre etc. etc. I believe this nihilistic outlook contributed to some of my PMO behaviors as well, like who cares about shame or guilt when nothing matters in the grand scheme of things anyway. Life used to have so much color. I'm just tired of living life feeling like I'm just running the clock out. I want to LIVE again
     
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  2. Infrasapiens

    Infrasapiens Fapstronaut

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    Good question. I am in the same situation and I would like to enjoy life again.
     
  3. drac16

    drac16 Fapstronaut

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    The Bible says "Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might.." (Ecclesiastes 9:10). Perhaps adopting a spiritual worldview will help you put things in perspective. In the christian worldview, we do everything as service to God. You begin to see God in everything. If I'm baking a cake, I'm not only offering it to myself and to my family, but I am also baking it for God because He loves it when we treat each other right.

    Nothing is done in vain. It either brings you closer or further away from God.
     
  4. Origin32

    Origin32 Fapstronaut

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    I have this problem too. I have always believed in God, but I never really practiced the religion I belong to (Catholicism). I am currently trying to build a relationship with God, because everything else I have tried to fill the void of my being with has absolutely failed me, and has made my life worse off. I'm not pushing anything on you - this is just my story I am typing out.

    But as the wests hero Nietzsche quickly asked, after he proclaimed God to be dead is, what are we going to replace Him with? Meaning, what are we going to replace the Christian worldview with in the west? Now it is up to the individual to create their own meaning - be their own god. When you think about the philosophical ramifications of nihilism though, if you're an atheist, is that you can create all the meaning you want, but at the core of existence is meaninglessness. There is absolutely no meaning. I've thought about that so deep, and it left me so crippled with depression, I just deduced a human being cannot live a purposeless life. There has to be some type of core meaning.

    I think it is pretty much impossible to escape the nihilistic feelings though, because we live in a society that embraces nihilism and relativism. Look at the current state of the culture and politics - it is live and let live. There is no structure or transcendent purpose anymore. Liberalism has completely atomized everybody, creating this extreme individualism, and the only purpose of human life is slaving for a corporation, slaving for sex, paying taxes, and consuming Chinese imports. The things that used to give meaning to people, like their cultures and traditions, have been demolished in the name of "free trade" and "social justice".

    It's funny, when you look at how "academics" measure happiness, the metric they use are things like GDP and wages - material horse shit that means absolutely nothing. There was a study that I read on women's happiness recently, and what it discovered was that women are more unhappy today than they were decades ago. The social scientists who conducted the study then expounded that they couldn't figure out why. How can women be unhappy when they are more educated, are in the workforce, and have all these liberties? The reason why is because materialism doesn't bring happiness lol.

    You know what brings people happiness? Family and community - something that modern society absolutely hates. The values that are lived by now are the values from those who are on the top of the capitalist economic hierarchy, and guess what? Those values are going to make you feel horrible because they enforce the idea of transitory weak relationships that are based on superficialities, like what people can abstract from you, and if there is nothing they can abstract out of you they render you useless.

    Read Durkheim's "Suicide" - he emphasizes the concept anomie, which means lawlessness. I think the book really speaks to the times we live in today.
     
    Last edited: May 7, 2019
  5. I don't see why though, when you're an atheist you make up your own mind and decide what to do. Does there need to be a whole meaning to life in order to live happily? You make your own meaning through what you do and whatever it is that you want to do, there's no need to be depressed over that in my opinion.
     
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  6. Origin32

    Origin32 Fapstronaut

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    For me there is reason to be highly depressed, because when you remove the illusive "meaning" you create at the core there is absolutely nothing - just a big empty void. The meaning you create is called cope. It's funny to me though, because the people who embrace meaninglessness have to actually create meaning to get through with their lives. Humans are purpose seeking creatures - this to me is a sign of a Higher Power. If people choose to live a meaningless life that is cool too, but they don't have the mental stamina to really live life like that.

    You've heard atheists claim that religious people are weak mentally, and need a crutch to get through the harshnesses of reality? Well, until the secular figure out how to live a true meaningless life, instead of creating surrogates, to me they are on they same playing field as the religious. There is no need to say people are weak because they crave objective meaning.

    A good analogy is the extreme vegan lol. The extreme vegan lambasts all meat eaters, and makes a concerted effort to stay away from animal products. What I noticed is that they still crave meat, because our body requires it for good health, but what they do is create these meat substitute products to deceive themselves that they are still consuming meat. If you hate even the slightest idea of animal product why would you want something in front of you that gives off the impression?

    Same thing with people who reject God and absolute meaning. If you reject God, subsequently rejecting absolute meaning, why not just fully embrace nihilism and live a life void of any meaning instead of putting substitutes in front of you to cope with what you innately desire?

    These are the dialogues I have in my own mind; they really aren't directed at you. I am just trying to share where I am coming from, and the thoughts that have lead me there.
     
    Last edited: May 7, 2019
  7. Being depressed is an adequate reaction to depressive reality.

    I'd say it's about not killing animals for most.
     
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  8. What is "meaning" though? That differs person to person. Are you speaking religiously in meaning or rather are you trying to say a purposeful life? You'll have to be more specific as there are multiple definitions on the subject of a "meaningful life".

    And about atheists, I don't know what you're getting at. What surrogates are you speaking of exactly? Because I'm pretty sure we don't substitute anything.

    I live knowing nothing I do will mean anything in the grand scheme of things, and to me there is no heaven, if anything I live a more carefree life without having to follow rules and things like say Christians do. It bothers me a bit knowing there's eventually an end and that's it, but you know what? It makes (at least me anyway) appreciate life more and pay more attention to my actions as if this is my only life, then I have to make it the best and most fulfilling it can be.

    And for the record, a lot of atheists aren't into nihilism.
     
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  9. kropo82

    kropo82 Fapstronaut

    @Ginny Weasley & I, for example.
     
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  10. Frog90

    Frog90 New Fapstronaut

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    Although it may appear that everything being relative is cause to not do anything, this isn't true. I have never believed in God and for a while perhaps I was into philosophising. There is really nothing to gain from repeating to yourself "everything is pointless", when in all cases this contradicts the intuitions you have about your own life. I may not believe in transcendental laws or a defined purpose, but I have the freedom to choose by goals. I don't have them dictated to me by a priest, you have the power within yourself to do anything you put your mind to, so find something you love and work on it, or better still work on everything you love, have ever loved or will find yourself loving. Strive to be the best person you can possibly be, I for one have plenty to do, virtues are not earned through a single action but a continuous stream of actions over many years. Try and become the best and I think you will start to love life, there is so much to do, to see, to smell, to taste, to touch to be...

    Dude if you don't like your job, try and find something you do enjoy, or work towards training for something you do want.
     
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  11. 3nigma

    3nigma Fapstronaut

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    Sure you do. What is ideology but a crude secular stand-in for religion? There's also the pseudoscientific mumbo jumbo of people like Deepak Chopra and Ray Kurzweil that stand in for religion. People need meaning in their lives. We're wired for it. When one is deprived of true meaning one turns to false gods, false religion, ideology, pseudoscience, sex, drugs, and rock and roll. You name it.
     
  12. 3nigma

    3nigma Fapstronaut

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    I dunno what you turn to. You'd have to tell me. My guess is that your false god is yourself.
     
  13. 3nigma

    3nigma Fapstronaut

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    I can't answer your first question but I can answer your second. A substitute is anything someone uses to find meaning in their life in lieu of God. I gave some examples: ideology, pseudoscience, sex, drugs, etc. Heck, let's keep this on topic: porn can be a substitute for God. When we watch porn and masturbate, we make our pleasure supremely important and hurt God.
     
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  14. brilliantidiot

    brilliantidiot Fapstronaut

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    Because religious people are still people
     
  15. 3nigma

    3nigma Fapstronaut

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    I can't speak for everyone but for me I made a conscious decision when I was young that I wanted to sin. I wanted to try sinning. The world makes sinning look so fun and pleasurable. Nobody told me it was the way to misery. I eventually turned to agnosticism and, at the apex of my debauchery, atheism. Life was empty and depressing. I started taking pleasure in other peoples' pain. It was awful. Thankfully, God's grace lead me to repent.

    Oh well in that case I wont tell you about a great book on searching for meaning.
     
  16. Yeah we like need a purpose, and religion gives us that purpose becuase without it there is nothing.
     
  17. 3nigma

    3nigma Fapstronaut

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    Yeah, well, maybe it was explained to me too but I didn't pay enough attention. I had a good early childhood but we all have free will, ya know?

    That's good.

    Purpose is important. I created a Mission Statement for myself.
     
  18. Infrasapiens

    Infrasapiens Fapstronaut

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    I agree. As an atheist, the meaning of life is something that doesn't bother me, even if I knew it, my telephone cables would still be gone and my PC would still be broken. All I need to know is that I am alive and I want to be happy about it.
     
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  19. InnerFaith

    InnerFaith Fapstronaut

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    nihilism is mind-fap, so nofap is also no to nihilism in a practical approach
     

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