I'm always careful to point out that Nietzshe said life has no inherent meaning, not that it has no meaning. He intended nihilism to be a robust, positive philosophy, not a philosophy of despair. There is really an infinity of found meaning you can discover for yourself. The only thing that nihilism does is shift the responsibility onto you to make meaning, and away from existence / god / whatever. It's not handed to you on a silver platter, but it's more meaningful for you having to work for it.

What I think that Nietzsche failed to reckon with is that entrenched notion in people's heads that it's important to have externally bestowed and given meaning; it's the only kind they seem to know, and when they realize it doesn't exist, they are almost programmed to go into an emotional tailspin over it. When ironically, all along, all they have been doing is finding their own meaning anyway. They are conditioned to attribute it to god or some other external source, just like they are conditioned to not take credit for their own accomplishments, and "give god all the glory".

The concept of god is like a vampire, sucking morality out of society and claiming to be its inventor and protector; sucking healthy pride out of people and claiming to be the only source of meaninful accomplishment; sucking meaning and purpose out of people and claiming to be the only source of real meaning.

"Life is not a problem to be solved but a reality to be experienced." We're supposed to be a logical group of people. Existentialism just makes the most sense.

Pretty much an absurdist.
No point, purpose, meaning needed.
Here for a good time, not a long time.

"People understand me so poorly that they don't even understand my complaint about them not understanding me." -- Soren Kierkegaard

Friedrich Nietzsche postulated the idea that instead of heaven or hell. You have to live your life all over again, just as you lived it, no take backs. Would the being that did this to you be an angel or demon? You have a lifetime to find out.
One of the things that I baffle theisists with, is the notion that the reward for living a good life is........ Living a good life.

There are no rights. we are here by luck so make the most of it.

Inherent meaning sounds all nice and dandy, but evidence y'know? Yeah it makes more sense. This world certainly appears that way.

It has always seemed like a reasonable and pragmatic philosophy.

I have been an existentialist for over 50 years. It makes sense.

Read La Nausea by Jean Paul Sarte. Nietzsche is often associated Nihilism but he was not a nihilist, he was clear about what he stood against and what he stood for in terms of his philosophy and he would have regarded Buddhism as the philosophy of Nihilism. Plato's notion of essence relates to the "world of forms" or ideas.

The Danish philosopher, Soren Kierkegaard is usually regarded as the founder of modern existentialism. "Life is not a problem to be solved but a reality to be experienced."

It's a really tough word to spell

1. This is a LONG way from being your "first intelligent post". IIRC we were discussing having a word with the voices in your head. This is part of what I mean.
2. Thanks for the post. I have trouble engaging with Nietzche and Kierkegaard so this post and its comments have helped me quite a lot.

Did you notice that you mentioned Plate, Aristotle and Jean Paul Satre with finding it necessary to mention their nationality, but did so when mentioning Nietzsche? Why? I assume that you are sure that your readers know the classic philosophers way better than Friedrich nietzsche. Or could it be....xenophobia in a very subversive form? Just noticing and wondering.

Thank you for this question. I hadn't thought about this topic for a while, and your post prompted me to reflect that, when it comes down to it, I'm an existential nihilist. Our species could, at any moment, be obliterated by a planet killing asteroid without warning, and the millions of years of evolution and millennia of recorded history could be gone forever. I'm reminded of the words of one of my favorite thinkers of the 19th (or any) century, the 'Great Agnostic,' Robert Green Ingersoll, who noted:

“Nature, so far as we can discern, without passion and without intention, forms, transforms, and retransforms forever. She neither weeps nor rejoices. She produces man without purpose, and obliterates him without regret. She knows no distinction between the beneficial and the hurtful. Poison and nutrition, pain and joy, life and death, smiles and tears are alike to her. She is neither merciful nor cruel. She cannot be flattered by worship nor melted by tears. She does not know even the attitude of prayer. She appreciates no difference between poison in the fangs of snakes and mercy in the hearts of men. Only through man does nature take cognizance of the good, the true, and the beautiful; and, so far as we know, man is the highest intelligence.” The Gods, 1872

When I had first seen the movie The Matrix I told my friend that this movie is an excellent example of existentialism. I have seen that movie cited as one of the best examples.

I stink therefore I am

i do mostly agree with this, as far as that its up 2 us 2 find our own essence, but i also think that can kinda be the same thing as finding your purpose. for example, from what ive been told, i have been interested in art, plants, and animals since i was old enough 2 show any sort of opinion one way or another. while i don't believe that if i chose 2 go with a different path, i would inevitably fail, i do think that going with one of the things that i already tend 2 take interest in would give me a better success rate. so no i don't think we are destined 2 do certain things, but i do think each of us can be predisposed 2 do them

Nietzsche, in particular, states that while there is not, and cannot be objective sources for it, we must recognize that accepting the lack of objective meaning by creating it ourselves--subjective as that is.

His entire notion of the Ubermensch is a person who recognizes the lack of intrinsic value, embraces it, and continually strives to build, consider, and then deconstruct and rebuild.

This relentless striving for the unobtainable in the face of a meaningless existence, and the nature of our character, is what defines us.

Amor Fati.

It's the words, babee...

@Sarahroo29

It's a good way to understand philosophical analysis and techniques, and teaches new concepts. People who are tracking for law school or something of that species would enjoy such a topic, as part of their philosophy study, if they are studying philosophy for their undergraduate.

Purpose is subordinate to life. Too many self agrandizing A types expousing on meaning and purpose. I think Hedonism has its merits.

I think we have free will and are born without purpose. Of course there are a whole lot of environmental, social and cultural factors that come into play that can/will determine our path in life. With athesism we break free of some of those barriers and assume a more natural free thinker mode.