The Nihilistic Pause? Cosmic Nihilism Explained
Most of us assume that ‘nihilism’ means that there is no meaning in life and that whatever we do is for nothing as we will all die someday. However, there are many philosophical, psychological, and ethical aspects attached to it.
There is a deeper foundation for why we do what we do as much as there is also a foundation for nothingness and meaninglessness. This nothingness comes from a space of ‘something.’ While we are at this trajectory, it is essential (for philosophy enthusiasts) to understand why we have this grappling need to attach meaning onto objects and people.
Here is a brief backstory to Nihilism:
Rick and Morty: Fictional characters approaching cosmic nihilism
Now, most of us stay confused or have an existential crisis in life having no meaning, or probably both. Worry not; these are philosophies that some people live by and some don’t. Some are probably going through an adamant nihilist phase.
Not to scare anyone, but people who are real nihilists, won’t give a damn about the words in this article, just like Rick and Morty. Now, if you are a Rick & Morty fan, you must have seen how extreme pessimism takes place as no one cares about anyone’s life or their own lives. Rick doesn’t hold his own life precious either.
Morty uses phrases like “Nobody exists on purpose, nobody belongs anywhere. Everyone’s gonna die. Come watch TV with me..?”
This view of life is an authentic example of ‘Cosmic Nihilism.’ This outlook doesn’t mean Morty wants to die or sees life as meaningless. He probably finds meaning in things that make him happy for good, and pessimism drives him toward some purpose. People do all these great things and go to great heights to make themselves feel better about themselves. However, Nihilism as a concept tells us that, ‘Why to do it?’ when the human experience is absolutely a big zero compared to the whole cosmos.
For Kierkegaard, the best way to deal with anxiety and depression of any kind is by acknowledging the vastness of the cosmos and carrying on with one’s life with faith. However, this philosophy again has certain ideas that are optimistic to an extent, according to other nihilistic philosophers like Friedrich Nietzsche.
According to Nietzche, an existential form of Nihilism has a marginal quotient of optimism attached to it.
As a fictional character (almost too real), Rick also says things like, “God doesn’t exist! Your existence doesn’t matter”. We can enunciate this as controversial, but his nihilistic approach helps him concentrate on his science. He probably has created some meaning after all. However, to him, everything is a literal comparison to the universe (cosmos).
You may doubt this approach by asking me, “But hey, that is not a way to live. That is just plain lazy and rude?”
Well, most of the philosophers, poets, and writers were plain lazy and rude.
That is a message hinting that you shouldn’t label yourself as a nihilist only because you are lazy or rude, as it is a heavy term. Because that question is like saying, “Okay, so now I became an atheist because I am too lazy to pray.”
(Indication ofthe dating profile apps providing ‘nihilist’ as an option which is so ironic because using a dating app is the epitome to optimism)- subjective.
Nihilistic thoughts Attached to the Pandemic
Now, most of us have had, in some small ways, experienced Nihilism during the pandemic. It doesn’t mean that we stopped finding meaning in life or we stopped being optimistic. However, there was a ‘Long Pause.’ During this pause, many of us were working and gravitating towards a newfound routine (not necessarily something we loved) without finding much meaning in it. At least, I went to sleep every single night without carving out a single meaning out of my day. It didn’t stop me from functioning, though. It was tough to understand my meaning and purpose in life; however, I constructed a meaning myself.
Meanings are a Construct: We create them
This circumstance is where the existential question comes into discourse. The pandemic struck, and most of us stayed confused and mentally disturbed. The crisis shook up the very foundation of our lives, disregarding the meaning of our birth. The world did not know what purpose to give us, which left us completely dizzy and anxious.
We constructed our meanings within this new realm. The ‘Nihilistic Pause’ exists in everyone, and this time we all might have experienced it together. Just like how to understand happiness, we should be able to understand sadness and to appreciate the night; we must be able to appreciate the day.
But, guess what, the world doesn’t live with a lot of optimism. We hardly live in a black and white world, and our purpose is probably to keep creating new meanings for humankind to keep thriving.
Neither of them suggests Nihilism is about giving up completely, but they both offer approaches to moving forward in an uncertain world.
