• Hey Guest! Ever feel like entering a Game Jam, but the time limit is always too much pressure? We get it... You lead a hectic life and dedicating 3 whole days to make a game just doesn't work for you! So, why not enter the GMC SLOW JAM? Take your time! Kick back and make your game over 4 months! Interested? Then just click here!

Discussion Positive Nihilism and its Effects on Gaming - I'M ANGRY AND I DON'T KNOW WHY edition

Status
Not open for further replies.
M

Matthew

Guest
Nihilism in its commonly understood form (existential Nihilism) simply argues that existence is without purpose or meaning. It literally argues that we exist for not reason whatsoever and in all honesty, I agree.

Whilst this initial statement is logical, is understandably quite distressing for a majority of people. It was distressing to myself around age 10, at which time I had entered the state of questioning the world and the meaning of existence. My worries prompted my father to suggest that I sound like a Nihilist and my father, being politically, philosophically and religiously open such as he is, informed me of what Nihilism was.

At first it was quite a daunting realisation, to realise that you're not the first person to think this but also that it seems quite correct. It took a small while for me to work through that phase in my life, but at the end of it I came up with my philosophy which is now the title of this text.

Positive Nihilism. What does Positive Nihilism argue? Like regular existential Nihilism it argues that life is inherently without meaning, we are born for no purpose, die for no purpose and exist for no purpose. Where it differs from the common conception of Nihilism is that it then stops and says, whilst yes life is pointless, there is nothing to stop us from creating points, meaning and enjoying a pointless existence.

Existence may well be pointless, but we do exist and that is a simple fact. We're questioning existence, so we must exist or we wouldn't be thinking.

The power of human intellect is to create and we can all create reason to exist, reason to move forward. One man might believe money is the ultimate reason to exist, another might believe that it's to bring people to believe in their deity of choice.

In the end, that point, that meaning isn't contained within the universe, the people themselves generate it, place it over a universe they simply are in for no particular reason.

But positive nihilism argues that this pointlessness is a brilliant thing. Think about it for a moment, that idea that there's some inherent purpose to life. Would that be amazingly good or amazingly bad? Because then the entire population would be subject to an eternal standard and objectively people could fail, there would be no personal goals, there would be only “the big picture” which we were never allowed any control of. We would be pawns of a predetermined existence, potentially failing to reach an objective and never being able to pick our own.

So, in this way, pointlessness is the ultimate freedom. It views life as a blank canvas to paint with whatever shapes, colors and brushes you wish. You can live any life you want and not be inherently wrong.
 
M

Misty

Guest
I'm angry and I know why. Dang forums won't load. I keep clicking things, then I have to click them and click them again, then it gives me a blank page, then I have to open another tab, open my history and click them again and again....

Feel like pulling my hair out!

Don't tell me that the forums are working A-ok, because they may be for you but not for me.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top