You might know the lyrics from Kurt Vile’s song ‘Pretty Pimpin’: “I woke up this morning, didn’t recognize the man in the mirror…” Many of us feel this way in our daily lives, where days blend together, stress piles up, and vacations seem distant. We start thinking that maybe life doesn’t have a big purpose, and that’s called nihilism.
Today, we want to introduce you to ‘Cheerful Nihilism‘ on Instagram. It’s a place for people who understand that life might not have a clear meaning, but that doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy it fully. Join us on this journey as we explore life’s big questions with a smile, showing that even when things seem uncertain, we can find happiness, friendship, and wonder.
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Nihilism is the belief that life doesn’t have any inherent meaning, purpose, or value. It became well-known in the 19th century, mainly thanks to Friedrich Nietzsche, who thought it could challenge moral and social norms. But not all nihilism is negative, and there are different ways to see life through this lens.
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“Nihilism” is a word that most people have heard but struggle to explain. When they do, it often boils down to something like: “Because nothing really matters, you can do whatever you want.” Or even more positively: “Since nothing has a built-in meaning, you can create your own.” In essence, many people, especially in the Western world, agree with nihilism’s main idea that ultimately, nothing has an inherent purpose. However, they tend to put a positive spin on it.
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The term “Cheerful Nihilism” might sound paradoxical at first. After all, how can a worldview often associated with despair and existential angst be considered cheerful? The answer lies in a different way of looking at nihilistic ideas.
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Cheerful nihilism is all about finding happiness in the idea that life doesn’t have a set meaning. It encourages people to release the stress caused by societal pressures, the fear of failing, or the pressure to conform to a specific path of success and fulfillment. Instead, it suggests that we should savor life for what it is, without being burdened by the search for a fixed meaning.
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In this perspective, the absence of a predefined purpose doesn’t lead to a bleak or pessimistic outlook. Instead, it offers the freedom to create our own purpose and significance. Even though nihilism can seem negative at first, looking at it with a cheerful attitude can actually benefit mental health.
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Firstly, it takes away the pressure and anxiety that often comes with trying to find a specific purpose or meeting society’s expectations. Instead, it lets you live life on your terms. It also encourages you to be yourself and express who you are. In this view, you get to decide what matters most in your life. Lastly, cheerful nihilism promotes being mindful and grateful, which can make you feel better mentally and reduce feelings of depression and anxiety.
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Friedrich Nietzsche, the German philosopher who lived from 1844 to 1900, is sometimes thought of as a troubling figure. While Nietzsche is frequently linked with nihilism, and he did have a solid grasp of it, in reality, he was far from being a true nihilist. At most, he briefly adopted nihilistic ideas, and even then, it was only as a stepping stone towards a larger purpose. In his own words: “He that speaks here, conversely, has done nothing so far but reflect . . . as the first perfect nihilist of Europe who, however, has even now lived through the whole of nihilism, to the end, leaving it behind, outside himself.”
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Nietzsche believed that nihilism was bound to happen in history, and looking at our world today, it seems he was mostly right. Nihilism emerged as a result of the decline of Christianity and traditional values when they couldn’t hold up anymore and fell apart.
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Just like Jacobi, Kierkegaard, Sartre, and Camus, Nietzsche saw nihilism as a major problem, one of the biggest crises. In simpler terms, Nietzsche didn’t like nihilism. His solution was to break down our old values, like smashing them with a hammer, and then build new values to replace them.
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As we deal with the tricky idea of finding meaning, let’s not avoid the tough questions brought by nihilism. Instead, let’s confront them bravely. We should see that without a set purpose, we have a great chance to build our own paths, fill our lives with significance, and, in the end, discover joy in the act of making our own way in the world. Check out our previous editions on nihilism and how it can be cheerful.
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