NIHILISM - its types and consequences, in simple words

Nihilism is a type of worldview in which a person denies social norms, orders and values. We can say that this is a philosophy and way of life of a person. Perhaps now you thought that we would talk about antisocial individuals, vandals, hooligans, drunkards. No. Although all of this is a manifestation of nihilism, there are other, more attractive examples. And the concept itself is much more complex and broader. Let's take a closer look at what nihilism is and who a nihilist is in simple words.

Nihilism - what is it?

All dictionaries say that nihilism is a worldview that questions generally accepted principles, moral standards and values. You can find a definition of denial, complete denial of a social and moral phenomenon and state of mind. It becomes obvious that the definition of this term and its manifestation at different times was different and depended on the cultural and historical period.

It is important to talk about nihilism and its consequences. In the modern world, one can often hear discussions regarding whether a given course is a disease or, conversely, a cure for an illness. The philosophy of supporters of this movement denies the following values:

• moral principles;
• Love;
• nature;
• art.

However, human morality is based on these fundamental concepts. Every person must understand that there are values ​​in the world that cannot be denied. Among them is love for life, for people, the desire to be happy and enjoy beauty. For this reason, the consequences of such denial can be negative for supporters of this direction. Alternatively, after a while a person realizes the incorrectness of his judgments and refuses to accept nihilism.

[edit] Plunge into the ABYSS and not emerge

• Bitard
• Steal kill
• Atheism
• Anarchism
• Chuck Palahniuk
• Misanthrope
• With special cynicism

Who is a nihilist?

Nihilism is understood as a life position of denial. A nihilist is a person who denies accepted norms and values ​​in society. In addition, such people do not consider it necessary to bow before any authorities and have little faith in anything or anyone at all. Moreover, even the authority of the source does not matter to them. It is interesting that this concept first appeared in the Middle Ages, when there was a denial of the existence and faith in Christ. Over time, new types of nihilism emerged.

How to communicate with such people

People who deny everything are not always pleasant interlocutors. Typically, a nihilistic interlocutor demonstrates a wry smile, obvious distrust of the speaker, ironic behavior, and disrespect for someone else’s point of view.

It is worth building communication with such a person:

1. Never fall for his provocations or manipulations.
2. Remain calm and in control of the situation.
3. Try not to copy your interlocutor, not to tease him, even if you really want to do this.
4. If a tense situation arises in a conversation, try to cope with it with the help of a sense of humor.
5. Adequately assess your own potential, do not allow a nihilist to sow doubts or self-doubt in your soul.
6. Do not give unsolicited advice, and if a nihilist is interested in the opinion of the interlocutor, then give it in the most neutral or optimistic manner possible.
7. There is no need to try to convince a person, start reading morals to him, appealing to his conscience.
8. Try to treat the nihilist condescendingly and with understanding. There is no need to be like him; it is much more productive to find an approach and common ground together.

The main task that needs to be achieved when communicating with a nihilist is to find a compromise solution, even if it is difficult.

What life hacks do you use when communicating with nihilists? Tell us about them in the comments.

Nihilism - pros and cons

The concept of nihilism as a denial of modernity expresses the negative attitude of a certain subject to certain values, views, norms, and ideals. It represents a form of sensation of the world and certain social behavior. As a current of social thought, nihilism arose a long time ago, but gained its popularity in the last century in the countries of Western Europe and Russia. Then he was associated with the names of Jacobi, Proudhon, Nietzsche, Stirner, Bakunin, Kropotkin. This concept has its pros and cons. Among the benefits of nihilism:

1. An opportunity for a person to express their individuality.
2. An opportunity for an individual to express himself and defend his own opinion.
3. Searches and the likelihood of new discoveries.

However, nihilism has many opponents. They name the following flow disadvantages:

1. Categorical judgments that harm the nihilist himself.
2. The inability to go beyond one's own views.
3. Misunderstanding from others.

[edit] Meaning

Nihilists from the movie "The Big Lebowski" Richard Hell - "Blank Generation"
It's not that complicated:

• A person has no meaning in life, absolutely none. He lives simply because his father once fucked his mother.
• Culture, religion, love, ethics and morality are not needed. All these are social tools used by the System to control the human herd.
• You are your own authority and no one can tell you.

Naturally, with a superficial perception of these principles, nihilism can be taken as the ideal worldview for all sorts of cynical bastards and simply those who want to take everything from life, come to success regardless of any neighbors, relatives, friends and, of course, B -ha.

A great way to justify your ugly complexes and perversions is to become an adept of nihilism. But you can become infected simply from hopelessness or disappointment in life. When you don’t have a job, a girlfriend, a family, a normal roof over your head, a new mobile phone, a video card or a car, the authorities shamelessly bully you, you were evicted into the cold in order to build another supermarket on your site (underline as appropriate), you may well become a nihilist (if you have developed interauricular ganglion and minimal theoretical basis).

Also at risk are impressionable boys and girls with suicidal tendencies, or those to whom no one simply gives. But don’t flatter yourself: if you simply decide to take revenge on everyone with a shotgun in your hands or sit behind an armored tractor, this will not necessarily make you a nihilist. Most likely, you will only be known as a misanthrope, a sociopath, or just a dumbass. Nihilism, as a philosophy, is a double-edged sword - the same principles must be applied to yourself. You will have to sacrifice not only social norms, but also personal ones. Habits, attachments and other attitudes “lose their meaning and fail”; everything must be subject to strict revision. “The end justifies the means” is one of the life principles of nihilism. That is, if in order to achieve your goal you need to deprive moral and material comfort not only of others, but also of yourself, this should not stop you. You can, if necessary, not only steal and kill, but also sleep on nails, eat shit, get punched in the ass, etc., while openly looking into the eyes of those around you and experiencing a feeling of inner righteousness. There are few people who are ready to sign up for this, and even fewer who will do it consciously, understanding what will happen to their psyche later.

And then there is the most interesting thing: the unconscious, deprived of brakes, begins to overflow, and consciousness, without a fulcrum, ceases to control this process. In practice, the patient develops a mental disorder, which he can observe from the outside without getting involved in the process. A novice nihilist experiences nightmares at night, depression during the day, and a “general depressed status” around the clock. What to do if the goal is achieved, there are no landmarks, and besides, you ate feces? Now, if you manage to survive this crisis, then you really become a true lurkofucking nihilist.

Types of nihilism

The concept of nihilism in modern society is divided into many types, the main ones being:

1. Mereological is a specific position in philosophy that states that objects made up of parts do not exist.
2. Metaphysical - a theory in philosophy that says that the existence of objects in reality is not necessary.
3. Epistemological – denial of knowledge.
4. Moral is the metaethical view that nothing can be immoral or moral.
5. Legal – active or passive denial of the responsibilities of the individual and the rules and norms established by the state.
6. Religious – denial and sometimes even rebellion against religion.
7. Geographical – denial, misunderstanding, incorrect use of geographical directions.

What does a nihilist and nihilism look like in real life and in literature?

On the territory of Russia, the definition of nihilism appeared in 1829.
The first to use this term was Nadezhdin N.I. At a later time, nihilism was indicated in the work of Bervy V.V. Nihilism in the form in which we know it became more widely known in Turgenev’s novel I.S. "Fathers and Sons". The popularity of this work allowed the term nihilism to become a popular expression. In modern society, a nihilist can often be found in real life, as well as in literature. Undoubtedly, in literature the term nihilism was most vividly and fully described by Turgenev in his work. With the help of the main character as a nihilist, the author conveyed to the reader the whole meaning of this concept, and the consequences of such behavior. This novel became very popular and gained its fans. As time passed, the meaning of the word nihilism began to include more and more meanings. To the previously established principles is added the denial of authorities and doubt in the legal capabilities of citizens.

Nihilism is a person’s despair about his inability to do a job to which he is not at all called. Vasily Vasilievich Rozanov. Apocalypse of our time

Nihilism as a trend is mainly found in Russia and other countries of the post-Soviet space. In Western countries, nihilism as a philosophical movement almost does not exist and manifests itself in isolated cases. Nihilism in Russia appeared in the early 60s of the 19th century. Prominent representatives of this trend were Chernyshevsky, Pisarev and Dobrolyubov. Later representatives of the nihilistic movement include V.I. Lenin. Certain features of his behavior and views make it possible to classify him as such a follower.

Besides the representatives of Russian nihilism, the most famous is the German philosopher Nietzsche. He was an ardent nihilist in every way. His worldview and beliefs are based on the devaluation of high values ​​and the denial of God. In addition to all this, he denied the need for a person to have compassion for another and took the presence of such a quality for weakness. By his definition, the ideal is an angry and selfish person who is incapable of empathy and sympathy.

Moral nihilism

Scientific literature says what nihilism means and what its types are. Moral nihilism is the metaethical position that nothing can be immoral or moral. A supporter of this type of nihilism assumes that murder, regardless of the reasons and circumstances, cannot be called a good or bad act. Moral nihilism is close to moral relativism, recognizing that statements have a certain possibility of being both true and false in the subjective sense, but at the same time does not allow their objective truth.

How to get rid of nihilism

Do we need to get rid of nihilism? If we view this as a defense mechanism, then yes, it needs to be dealt with. Excessive rationality, suppression of feelings and emotions are dangerous for burnout, depression or the development of other mental disorders. In addition, a nihilist cannot fully realize himself in society. The individual cannot develop outside of society, and nihilists do everything to get out of society, to destroy it, to destroy the system.

How to get rid of nihilism:

1. Admit the problem. Analyze and make a list of what nihilism deprives you of.
2. Remember when disgust for the world first arose. Determine the approximate cause of your condition.
3. Know and accept yourself, see the uniqueness of each person. Do you believe science? Stock up on research, books on psychology and study the problem of abilities, inclinations, and temperament. We are not such biorobots, although in many ways this is true.
4. Determine the main unsatisfied (frustrated) need. Think about what tools you lack and how to get them in society.
5. Find what is valuable to you, come up with your “before and after story” (Mark Manson's definition). What does it mean? For example, this could be raising a worthy citizen of society, writing a book, creating your own school or courses, developing your own website or writing a column in some magazine. I think that every person is a nihilist in some way, but at the same time everyone can find what they like in our society.

Often getting rid of nihilism involves working with childhood traumas. Not all people are ready and able to make this journey on their own. As motivation, remind yourself often that trying to destroy the world is trying to protect yourself before the world destroys you. So what or who are you actually protecting yourself from? What is still meaningful and alive to you? You are disingenuous when you say that you live only according to the laws of reason. Something makes you angry, afraid, hate. What is this?

Youthful nihilism

The younger generation is also aware of the concept of nihilism. Often in adolescence, children want to better understand themselves and choose their own path in life. However, there are often cases when a teenager denies a lot. This behavior is called youthful nihilism. Youthful nihilism, like youthful maximalism, is an ardent and sometimes even accompanied by vivid emotions denial of something. This type of nihilism can be characteristic not only of teenagers and young men, but also of emotional people of different ages and manifests itself in a variety of areas:

• in religion;
• in culture;
• in public life;
• in knowledge;
• in rights.

What kind of nihilist is he today?

Nowadays, nihilists have acquired new features - the theory of mindfulness, minimalists in relationships, religion. They, as before, deny everything that can fetter human freedom: morality, norms, rules, traditions. Such people do not vote, do not obey anyone’s orders, always clearly show their discontent and do not believe in the existence of a higher mind.

According to psychologists, today's nihilists are more like realists. This is a kind of reasonable skepticism, with an expanded interpretation of critical thinking. Such traits begin to appear in a person when he becomes disillusioned with spirituality, becomes selfish and begins to revere the material world.

Modern day nihilist

Geographical nihilism

There are many different forms of nihilism. Among them is geographical. It consists of denial and misunderstanding of inconsistent usage:

• geographical directions;
• geographical features of parts of the world;
• substitution of geographical directions;
• parts of the world with cultural idealism.

This type of nihilism is a new concept. It is often called incorrect, saying that by denying the meanings behind natural conditions and trying to tear human society out of the material world, one can come to idealism. In other words, this disadvantage is that ignoring the natural environment can lead to underestimation of these conditions. Taking into account their influence, it is necessary to realize that at different stages the same combination of natural conditions can have different meanings and at the same time not provide the same attention.

Causes

As we have already noted, from the point of view of psychology, nihilism is a defense mechanism of the psyche. And, like many problems, it has its roots in childhood. Nihilism is associated with a person’s non-acceptance and misunderstanding of himself, as well as with distrust of the world. This, in turn, is caused by distrust of parents. Probably, in childhood, the nihilist encountered an authoritarian style of family education or overprotection. That is, a person is accustomed to the fact that he was not loved, suppressed, forced. This gave rise to aggression, anger, and coldness in him. However, at the same time, every person has a living need to join society. Such a contradiction further fuels the internal conflict of the nihilist.

Interesting! The problem of public and personal, preservation of individuality and self-realization in society is one of the most difficult problems in psychology. Not all people can be free, preserve and express their uniqueness within the system, while maintaining identity with some group.

Cultural nihilism

Popular modern nihilism is cultural. It manifests itself in the denial of cultural trends in all spheres of society. Back in the sixties, a powerful “counterculture” movement arose in the West. Then it was based on the views of Rousseau, Nietzsche and Freud. The counterculture completely rejected the entirety of Western civilization and bourgeois culture. The harshest criticism was directed against the cult of consumerism of mass society and mass culture. Supporters of this trend were confident that only the avant-garde was worthy of preservation and development.

History of origin

The concept of nihilism first appeared in the Middle Ages. Then this term was used to describe the doctrine that refutes the human origin of Jesus Christ. Over the years, nihilistic theories have found themselves in Western philosophy. At first everything was tied to religion, but soon a different meaning came - life has no specific meaning. Popular philosophers of that time began to study the problem that arose: Nietzsche, Spengler, Jacobi.

Read also: What is opera, history of opera

At the end of the 19th century, nihilism became an independent science. Two scientists understood its principles most of all: W. Reich and E. Fromm. The first believed that nihilism is a banal neurosis, a protective property of the psyche in conditions of total rejection of the surrounding world. According to Fromm, when a person cannot adapt to this world and go through the stage of self-realization, he tries to destroy it.

Religious nihilism

It would be fair to say that nihilism is a modern phenomenon. One of its most popular types is religious nihilism. This term is usually understood as an uprising, rebellion against religion from the position of an egoistic personality, denial and negative attitude towards the spiritual values ​​of society. Such criticism of religion has its own specificity, expressed in a lack of spirituality and a pragmatic attitude towards life itself. Without exaggeration, a nihilist can be called a cynic for whom nothing is sacred. Such a person may desecrate religion for his own selfish purposes.

A nihilist is a person who denies without offering.

The boom of nihilism occurred in the second half of the 19th century and is associated with the philosophical ideas of the Germans Arthur Schopenhauer, Friedrich Nietzsche and Oswald Spengler, although their compatriot Max Stirner (1806-1856) is considered the first nihilist.

1. Stirner elevates selfishness (what is it?) to an unconditional good, proclaims any morality to be ghosts and calls on humanity to free itself from them.
   Moreover, he is so radical that even a revolution for him is not a way to change the accepted social structure; the philosopher goes further: “We are not talking about a new upcoming revolution, but about a powerful, arrogant, unceremonious, shameless and unscrupulous crime.”

   Stirner, denying everything , went so far as to justify the murder, although he wavered and added the remark “kill, but not torture.”

2. Schopenhauer leaves only the concept of the will, which underlies everything. The history of the existence of the world is the history of meaningless throwings of will. Human life is a series of sufferings followed by boredom. The only correct direction for understanding the world is indifferent contemplation.
3. Spengler believes that nihilism is the speculation of tired city dwellers who have nothing ahead.
4. Friedrich Nietzsche built a whole concept. He argues that any morality is created in order to expand the boundaries of its power.

   
   The Nietzschean superman goes beyond morality and morality, is outside the coordinate system of good and evil. Nietzsche's formula for nihilism is in his phrase “God is dead.” Along with God, the moral values ​​and ideas embodied in him died.

Russian nihilists

In Russia, the question “What is nihilism?” responded both from a positive and negative point of view. M.A. Bakunin, P.A. Kropotkin, D.I. Pisarev - famous Russian nihilists of the 19th century.

On Russian soil, this worldview acquired its own characteristics - to explain social processes, our nihilists tried to rely on Darwin’s theory , therefore the evolution of society was described from the perspective of Darwinists. Man is an animal, therefore he lives according to the laws of the struggle for the existence of the species.