Hmm

[pannadol]

The simple fact that one can look upon the world and say "There is no meaning, nothing is important," is paradoxical. If nothing was important, if nothing had meaning or was worth saying, then why make this statement in the first place? We all want to make ripples, but nobody stops to think just how much the world can be effected by simple choices

Comments

[kristian]

The simple fact that one can look upon the world and say "There is no meaning, nothing is important," is paradoxical. If nothing was important, if nothing had meaning or was worth saying, then why make this statement in the first place?

This is exactly the issue I struggle with. Because there is no denying that I do have meaning and meaningful relationships in my life, no doubt I do do things with purpose, as if there was consequence. But intellectually, reasonably, I know that this operates on a different level to the world-as-it-is.
That is, the absurdity/inauthenticity here is that my actions are not in concordance with my beliefs? I'm not sure.

Why say anything at all? This is what sunk my thesis on the subject. I said to my supervisor "The best thesis I could present on nihilish would be to not present a thesis". I don't think he understood.

[pannadol]

I wrote this great comment explaining my thoughts : but basically : any arguments pertaining to nihilism are circular because any act, even suicide, has a meaning to others even if not to yourself. Even outlining the theory of nihilism is contradictory to nihilistic beliefs.

P.S. "The best thesis I could present on nihilish would be to not present a thesis". - I get it! ;)

[kristian]

Even outlining the theory of nihilism is contradictory to nihilistic beliefs

I was just saying the exact same thing on the way home from work today. The only people who could be nihilists would be people who were utterly aware of their nihilism. Nobody can declare themselves so, because in doing so, they.. well you know :)

The meaning of/for others thing, I'm not so sure of. Because I would prescribe the same meaninglessness to them as I would to myself. It isn't that I think my life and my life only has no meaning, but that all lives are all rendered void and ultimately have the same sum total.

Anyway. As you may have noticed I bleat about this incessantly :) It's nice to known I've been heard.

[pannadol]

Oh don't worry about incessant bleating, I love it too. I know what you mean. I can't help but think that after we die, we die. Nothing more. And hence ultimately our lives mean nothing. Yet I still believe that humanity and life itself is something to be treasured and lived to the full. In a way, I believe that because death IS the end, that just makes life more special. Without death, without an end, there would be no point to life. It's like how nothing can be good if there's no bad - life can't be good if there's no end to face. Am I making sense? I'm not sure. Anyway, are you still at USYD? I'm coming there this year! *dances*