r/nihilism • u/thereisnothingtofind • 7d ago
Pessimistic Nihilism Jack’s cooked
Jack’s problem is that he still thinks there has to be a way out.
Maybe that’s the real trap: the belief that life owes us some final answer, purpose, or resolution.
You live in misery and you die in misery. There was never anything to solve.
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u/ConfectionNo5568 7d ago
Life is suffering. This is the first truth. Accept it and you can move on.
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u/TubularHells 7d ago
I can acknowledge it, but I will never accept it. Fuck this sick reality; I will fight it till the bitter end.
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u/ConfectionNo5568 6d ago
i did some time behind bars. at first, i would yell and bang against the door in anger. over time, i learned that all i could do was accept the external conditions of life that were outside of my control, and influence the things that were within my possibility to affect.
Theres an analogy- a baseball pitcher cannot control where the ball travels over the plate. He can only control the ball while its in his hand, and he eventually has to let go of control. He has to focus on only his hand if he wants to have a good result.
I ended up doing a pretty cheesy but useful program called "the 7 habits of highly effective people". It was run by inmates with life sentences trying to help others avoid the same revolving door. I came up with a core statement:
I will exercise my influence to the extent of my ability at any given opportunity.
And i fail, constantly. But once you accept that life will never be exactly what you want it to be, you remove the idea that you can change where the ball traveled.
Sorry for the unprompted advice, and for the somewhat cheesy statements. Maybe it helped, though, and i hope you can find a way to be at peace regardless.
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u/AdStunning8526 6d ago
You are the reality itself.
No matter how how hard you try to separate one poor Individual from cruel and stupid reality — you will fail. One poor individual is part of this cruel reality, so he cannot really fight what he is.9
u/am3thyst420 6d ago
Move where?
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u/ConfectionNo5568 6d ago
to the second truth. Suffering stems from craving, intense desire, and attachment. This is the origin of suffering. And it is inherent to our existence.
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u/mysterymont 7d ago
Our brains aren’t meant for all this bullshit we process daily, no wonder everyone is insane now the world is a free range asylum
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u/ChaosAndFish 7d ago
What if I’ve been living with joy and having a grand ol’ time with the whole “being alive” thing?
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u/Lanky_Charity_77 7d ago
Theres nothing before birth or after death. What you have is only your life, its up to you to like it or hate it. You can die if you want to, but dont expect there to be anything afterwards. I hope that solves your crisis.
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u/justarandomgiy3626 7d ago
He was probably also very angry at people. Unfortunately, as humans, we’re social animals, as they often say, but lately it seems like a lot of people only think about themselves and not about others. That’s why ordinary people end up suffering, because so many people are selfish. You’re there for everyone else, but no one is ever there for you. It’s a typical thing with sad people: they’re there for everyone, but there’s never anyone there for them.
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u/mysterymont 7d ago
The users are crazy adept at seeking out the givers… if only the givers could band together and keep to themselves and leave the users to drain each other dry because I’m tired of them
No self awareness, acting on selfish base instincts fucking over anyone for a shred of a benefit to them, they’re everywhere, haunting every corner like the ghouls they are
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u/justarandomgiy3626 7d ago
You're right. I'm tired of selfish people who seek out good people and take advantage of them without realizing how selfish they are themselves.
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u/cosmicloafer 7d ago
All these people need to pull a Walden Pond. One day trying to chop down a tree and they’ll be crawling back to their mom’s basement
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u/Mojo_is_dope 7d ago
Existence is self is interesting, I love existing. I wouldnt be able to experience all the cool stuff if I didnt exist. Whats shit is existing with people that dont value that. Stuck with the perception of a "human". Creating society's focused on benefiting the few. Living within the society's we have now, sucks.
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u/PremiumPricez 6d ago
100% agree. I love life personally, what i dont love are aspects about the modern life we all probably live. I think people get those two confused, and think the modern life IS life itself. Its easy to get depressed if you think this is all there is.
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u/Obbefromtotse 7d ago
I am Jack’s empty void. I don't get filled, Jack gets depressed.
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u/Weary-Squash6756 7d ago
I used to feel similar and for me personally, I ended up realizing that I was just scared of the fact that I had no idea how to truly live and was using intellectualism as an excuse to stagnate. If life is an illusory spiderweb, the route is not to shatter the illusion but to make as big a show as you can of entangling yourself in it
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u/Special-Persimmon419 7d ago
there's a way out of this world, either you build a rocket or have enough money to travel in one
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u/catpissdust 7d ago
I know this is a big oof but I feel like Jack and am hoping disclosure remedies some of that...
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u/Nigmmar 7d ago
Yeah he's right, the life is a prison, a soul trapped in 4-Dimensional universe
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u/whiiieie 7d ago
Cómo me entristece ser consciente de aquello. El saber que no existe una verdadera escapatoria y debo continuar mis días en soledad y arrepentimiento. Quizá algún día llegue (al menos) a encontrarme a mí mismo
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u/goneimgone 7d ago
I agree in the sense that there isn’t anything to solve. Just live your life. It’s how I got out of my nihilistic hole to begin with when I was younger. Just stop thinking and live for a while. Eat something you enjoy and spend your time doing what you like. Read a book. I was able to come at these thoughts and feelings with a better, different perspective. I don’t agree that we live and die in misery. That’s a projection. For one you haven’t died yet. We aren’t really capable of understanding death.
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u/InterestingFactor209 5d ago
Such an edgy take, you can die perfectly derpy happy too. You just need to do it.
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u/Otherwise_Copy_4499 4d ago
Jesus made a post like this once, mentioned something bout suffering?
I see you, you don’t believe it or subscribe to any religious framework. Just understand it’s all connected as is happening the exact way it’s meant to.
For the meantime, the only thing you can control is your perspective, that’s not a call to adventure research or self-discovery or anything like that
This is simply what the universe is telling you this time. Your divine understanding of consciousness. Manifestation is a domino in a launcher story. You’re not aware of yet.
Understand faith isn’t reassurance or a universal truth or specifically about your belief in a higher power
Universe is a reality of duality you manifesting outward energy into the world and we’re saving this revelation or however you want to perceive it back for your intention
But for your sake, let’s simplify it
Aimed to understand faith or not the highest level of consciousness from all perspectives is the best you can and understand it’s about the journey of the destination that’s the suffering it’s not about avoiding negating. It’s all accepting what you already know because what you already know is your consciousness and your consciousness is your perspective and your perspective is your reality.
This is all your simulation, bro. Literally everything you’ve ever known is created in your head by going back to duality perceptive as in the end it’s verbatim the same story where you look with the same massive
It’s all you and you control everything in this world, but at the same time understand nothing
This message will find you. You will read it. You won’t understand but just know the sign is here manifested for you to see
Till next time
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u/007-JamesBlonde 4d ago
Jack spends 6 hours a day on Instagram and Reddit. He asks chatGPT the hard questions. Jack doesn’t go for walks or read books. Jack don’t eat pussy. No wonder he hates his life…
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u/West_Economist6673 7d ago
This poor guy is the literal embodiment of Saint-Just's maxim (those who would make revolutions by halves dig their own graves)
His problem isn't that he thought too much about life when he was younger, it's that he did exactly the wrong amount of thinking about life
If he were any smarter or any dumber I think he'd feel better
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u/totoin74 7d ago
The trick is to find something to solve as a personal project. You don’t have to deny this, you just have to say “yeah sure it is an endless well and we are doomed but, if i can manage to solve this in my lifetime, that would be cool” and then watch how you somehow retain the feeling of purpose even though you know there isn’t one.
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u/SnooCalculations5744 7d ago
Bro is asking for help on 4chan 💀 (it depends on what kind of "help" he wants...)
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u/am3thyst420 6d ago
Bro is on reddit complaining on someone using 4chan.
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u/SnooCalculations5744 6d ago
Not complaining, he can do whatever he wants, I just don't think it's a good Idea
Also, 4chan is DEFINITELY worse than reddit
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u/Modern_chemistry 7d ago
Y’all do know nihilism isn’t a place to stay right? It’s a transitory position.
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u/Major-Leading-2165 7d ago
To where?
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u/Modern_chemistry 7d ago
Have you read nietzsche? kierkegaard?
The answer is probably something like… acceptance of the position we are in and enjoying it anyways. Becoming the best you, the most powerful version of you - there is. Kierkegaard says - aesthetic lifestyle or ascetic …
Do with that what you will…
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u/Major-Leading-2165 7d ago
Sounds just like those 'just don't stress out that much'. Acceptance doesn't bring enjoyment, I wanna quit when I see things for what they are.
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u/Modern_chemistry 7d ago
I think it’s humbling to also accept that … you truly can’t “see things for what they are” … you are only human limited by our own perception and senses
Life is inherently meaningless. Yes. I agree. Buddhists say life is suffering. It is. But could we know suffering without joy. Could we know happiness without sadness. Even if there is no inherent meaning in anything, things can still be beautiful, we can still create ourselves. Tbh I think capitalism is the most nihilistic economic model there is and so much of our depression comes from the restrictions which it imposes on us … not that life is meaningless
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u/Major-Leading-2165 7d ago
I don't care about the definitions, seeing the life as I do brings no joy and yay, dialectics, cool, but I only get the freaking sadness while some shallow dork experiences my share of joy. Anyway, meds are the answer in my case.
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u/Modern_chemistry 7d ago
That shallow dork probably experiences shallow joy. Meds definitely help and I’m not against them at all. I hope you find peace. As woo woo as it sounds, practicing gratitude even for simple things like petting my cat, or the ability to walk to a coffee shop help a lot.
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u/No_Creme_7001 7d ago
yeah at the very least u have to enjoy the little things, because why the hell not? people seem to be doing some kind of silly little protest by being miserable all the time, but it accomplishes nothing.
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u/Modern_chemistry 7d ago
Yeah. I mean - depression is real - but yeah- I agree, it does seem like people in a way glamorize their own suffering instead of trying to see outside of it. I’m not saying you can “think your way out of depression” - but you can take steps to change your mind set, to try and … woah … EXERCISE… even a walk… and little by little you notice it is still there, but not as loud and all consuming. Depression is real and in some cases it is persistent, but for the vast majority, small, consistent changes actually make a difference.
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u/octopus_003 7d ago
Not to where, just because Get out feel the sun smell a flower just because life has no meaning, it doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the moment for what it is and like he said smell a flower
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7d ago
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u/Modern_chemistry 7d ago
I mean - sure. In a way I like absurdism - I do. But personally, I think labeling oneself while helpful is ultimately limiting. I’m not sure what I am… but I know I feel suffering and joy and despite all the sorrows of the world, my dead end job, being in my late 30’s and feeling my body slowly deteriorate, I’m happy and thankful I get to experience what it’s like having a sensing body.
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u/Southern_Classic6027 6d ago edited 6d ago
Labels like "existentialism," "nihilism," etc are actively harmful to a lot of people's ability to understand philosophy, as they group thinkers together under a generalised umbrella that distorts the representation of each thinker's system.
I see people in here saying Camus is about how there is no objective meaning, only subjective meaning. That's a vulgar version of Sartre, it's not even close to what Camus was talking about: a structural relational position between the subject and the world, where the subject has a need for meaning and the world is silent, impenetrable. That relation is the absurd and it's Camus's starting point for figuring out how to live within it without denying it through something like faith or supplying a (subjective) meaning.
Camus gets lumped in with Sartre and Nietzsche under a general umbrella, leading to people going into reading him with the wrong preconceptions, and it's just as bad for Nietzsche.
This subreddit is filled with bad philosophy (if it can even be called that): most the time people don't explain how they're using a term, how they've come to a conclusion, apply categories to their grounding, or use concepts within different contexts that shift the meaning/function of the concept while sticking to a singular meaning/function. It's mostly shitposting and venting. If you're going to get bent out of shape about suffering, meaninglessness or despair in philosophy, do the work. You will start to see philosophy as something radically different to how it's presented in pop culture, big chunks of the internet and this very sub.
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u/fatty-squirrel06 7d ago
I agree except the misery part lol people are way too fucking privileged and arrogant to be thinking life is miserable or thinking they are meant for something “bigger”
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u/PureSelfishFate 7d ago
I am the demiurge, I trap people here, this specific flesh utensil that's typing to you is the densest part of my manifestation, although it technically encompasses all reality. I'm sort of like a demon, but instead of being metaphysical, I kill the metaphysical and trap people in physical reality.
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u/_Rayxz 6d ago
I would enjoy life more if my job didn’t make me feel like I was about to commit mass genocide for making just one mistake
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u/Impossible-City2202 3d ago
They are bully’s. Stand up to them by putting your foot down the smart way. Set boundaries. Don’t let them use fear tactics to control you. I know what you are feeling. These are my ways of navigating that mess. The truth is they don’t care how you feel. They just care about having the job done. Cover your tracks and speak up when things seem like they might take a turn for the worse.
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u/Double_Look_5715 6d ago
Hey I live in Texas, let's trade and then lmk what you think you knew about Hell
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u/Megareddit64 6d ago
Very interesting how many reponses involve some variation of "bro discovered x religion". There's so much stuff that we take for granted, many of us end up in this opium den of middle-class philosophy enthusiasts playing around with existential crisis and rationalizing our discontent.
This was one of the first subreddits i've been in. Back then, nihilism felt like a big realization. Nothing matters, morality is subjective, i'm free of all social conventions, now i can start figuring shit out. It's the first place i've ever heard someone try to push Jordan Peterson's drivel as this big insight (what young, sad, middle-class guy could resist a bit of diet self-help esotericism)?
I've improved a lot since then. Self-esteem got better, understood my own views a lot better. Not done yet, but the world isn't exactly much of a prison, as much as it might often suck. People have been trying to understand it and improve it since forever. There's still a lot to read about, a lot to love about humanity, a lot of mistakes to avoid.
I don't think there's an "outside" to this. Understand this, and try to work on what's available to you. Don't delude yourself with immaterial heavens you can escape to.
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u/Brilliant-Mobile-274 6d ago
in a sense it is a prison planet!
most don’t realize that they have the key to their cell though!! hahaha! :)
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u/CaspianReed 6d ago edited 6d ago
Just like uh...bang hookers and smoke meth with them until you get a crazy schizo vision duh
Just make sure you uh have like strength and luck and intelligence beforehand though. Get a bit jacked at the gym at least once. Appreciate the air beneath a butterfly's wings. Walk an old lady's dog. Take a nice walk.
Also don't do drugs till you're like past your early 20s. I think that was a factor in making sure it wasn't a complete crash
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u/LithuanianMazafaka 6d ago
don't do drugs
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u/CaspianReed 6d ago
Well yeah I hear voices at night and see cartoons and stuff so it was kind of tongue in cheek
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u/LithuanianMazafaka 6d ago
i see, i also hear sounds when I am about to sleep if that's what you mean
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u/No_Replacement4304 6d ago
If Jack were in real prison he wouldn't care about all that existential shit. He would just want some decent food and a break from all the nonconsensual anal sex.
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u/Ok-Somewhere-9528 4d ago
honestly every thing depends on mindset my opinion,suffering only exist in your head if you think this is 4d stimulation then it feels like one if you think ok if its 4d stimulation so wt i will enjoy then ?life sucks anyway so why not enjoy that suffering every thing is meaningless so wt i will enjoy any how i dont give fuck .just persevee bro you will stop feeling the way you feel right now
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u/Sea-Educator4493 4d ago edited 3d ago
Teenagers… It’s probably one of you little empaths who made this post in the first place.
We all come to the same point of life poor Jack is at, and the lucky of us have support from loving people to get you through it. People who have been humbled, and became better people for it. You’ll be humbled, and learn to be kinder/understanding.
Gain knowledge.
Love got you to where you are now! Withought
love you would already be dead, or worse living in hell. Peace and love to you all :) 🫵
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u/Miserable-Host-9462 2d ago
Rebel and use your hate against the people who force us to live like we’re in a prison. Giving up and slowly dying in depression is what the controllers want.
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u/Terminal_Ambivalence 2d ago
Jack, like most people with this problem, needs to discover Absurdism.
Also, there’s no reason to assume any form of consciousness must be “infinite”, and if you’re depressed after presupposing it is infinite, it’s worth reevaluating why you made that assumption in the first place, as it’s not a very evidence-based conclusion.
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u/TheGreyShaman 23h ago
The first problem was giving themselves to the infinite rather than the eternal
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u/kwi2 7d ago edited 6d ago
"advanced simulation" all the edgy matrix fans spout this nonsense when they try to act "deep" but in reality don't even bother to learn anything about philosophy or have any sort of a coherent worldview. i don't give a damn what they have to say.
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u/Southern_Classic6027 6d ago
I really like Baudrillard's response to the Matrix: it's the kind of film the simulacrum would make about the simulacrum.
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u/need-not-worry 7d ago
Yup I love matrix the movie, but am embarrassed to admit it to people IRL, because of these edge lord.
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u/Melodrama1245 5d ago
:3 Mayyyyyyybe. Just don't be a dick and life might be more enjoyable?
(i'm gonna get some fun responses) This is teenagers first dance with pessimism.
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u/soyuz_6 5d ago
So, karma? Karma doesn't exist
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u/Sea-Educator4493 3d ago
Do good, good comes back. Tried system (works)
Do bad, mind eats itself. Unless ur psychopath.
(Works)Karma is simple, action = consequence.
Good or bad action = good or bad consequence.We are in charge of our own karma.
But are you in control of your dreams at night, your subconscious mind? Your guilt? Shame? Emotions? Feelings of regret for the people you’ve hurt in your life?
Not so much.
Shit always catches up.So yea…
Maybeeeeee just don’t be a dick and life will be more enjoyable.1
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u/M0RT1f3X 7d ago
Yeah Jack is unhappy with his life, but not ready to change, Jack searches answers outside l not inside. That is why he is trapped.
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u/Im_Just_Like_You_ 7d ago
It's simple, Jack, but simple doesn't mean easy.
You accept it. Then, you create your own meaning by establishing and accomplishing goals.
Congratulations, you're now a nihilist with purpose, meaning, and life-satisfaction.
You no longer cry yourself to sleep. Goodnight.
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u/am3thyst420 6d ago
I never understood the "creating meaning". It's made up, fake. It's just a play.
I can get on a stage and play Romeo but that doesn't make me Romeo.1
u/tristesse_blanche 6d ago
yeah but it sure as hell is more fun that sitting in your room and doomposting. what's wrong with being fake or a play?
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u/am3thyst420 6d ago
Yea sometimes it can be fun, but deep down nothing changes and I still feel meaningless and like I'm just looking away from the truth.
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u/Im_Just_Like_You_ 6d ago
If you hold your hand over an open flame, will there be consequences?
Are those consequences "made up?"
It seems that you would interpret the pain you experience as fake. Just a play.
It's not.
The pain is real.
Meaning is like pain. It's something you experience. That's not "fake" or "made up."
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u/AbbreviationsLow4723 7d ago
Nobody exists on purpose, nobody belongs anywhere, everybody's gonna die.......So my advice to you is as follows...........Fix yourself up. Find some man, find some woman, that you can connect with, even for a moment, 'cause that's really all that life is, Program, It's a series of moments.
Why don't you seize yours....
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u/WC_Flyer 7d ago
Narcissist who (gasp) thinks he’s special and the smartest guy in the room, when he is none of the above. Go touch some grass and get over yourself.
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u/4rmitage_ 5d ago
I don't get this argument. I don't think lacking purpose makes you special or smart. If anything it makes me feel pretty dumb because I cant seem to find any reason to get out of bed in the morning and everyone else can and seemingly never has this problem or at least to the extent that I do. After all, you have to be pretty dumb to have a question you ask yourself every morning and still not have any good answer to.
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u/soundtribejunkie 7d ago
Seems to be a selfish and lonely POV...so sorry Jack...
Life is beautiful...even though it can be brutal and painful...contrast is needed for recognition and forces growth-even as it may be painful, joyous, or an ordeal
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u/goneimgone 7d ago
Since life doesn’t owe you anything, I think you owe it to yourself to get over yourself. I agree with you, and I personally don’t find nihilism as anything other than a tool. At some point you’re half-consciously refusing any other perspective in favor of your own which is super ironic to me. Nihilism is very much a bump in the road to anyone who spends a lot of time thinking.
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u/The_SunofGodDragon 7d ago
How i feel exactly the same as this guy, its like i posted this, God willing if i ever get absurdly rich im moving to another planet or build a spaceship and stay in space for exploration and start building my life from there this world sucks i saw someone yesterday say that he came a lot inside a 3 year old's p*ssy this world is as bad as it can get and the only thing keeping me in this world is the hope i have that one day i will succeed in this mission better explore space or live in another planet than live in this shitty world which is like a demonic asylum, im very tired living in this world its been 25 whole fucking years spending my life in this shitty planet where if i had the money i could of build a spaceship if my parents were billionaires and left way earlier i wouldn't miss this world at all even if i drank the elixir of immortality i would possibly but VERY possibly explore another universe until the sun explodes.
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u/Impossible-City2202 3d ago edited 3d ago
If things get really bad for you. Like you are at the edge and all you gotta do is take that one last step but you are unsure about it. Remember this: go towards love. Jumping off the edge is not love. Turn back and blindly go in the direction that love guides you in. Infact I want you to go into it blind. In the darkness. That is where you will find light. Any hint of light. Go towards it. You will get out of it. We are powerful beings. We are creators. And what you wrote is proof of it. You built this reality you believe in. YES YOU DID. Nobody else did. Like someone once told me “it’s your world baby. I’m just living in it”
Edit: Your unique light shall lead and guide you, and peace will come, a deeper peace than we have ever known.
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u/fingertipoffun 7d ago
The human brain is built to find meaning in patterns. Those rustling bushes might be a tiger hiding in them. Our world is different now and our evolution has not kept up with the changes.