An Introduction to Nihilism: A Descent into the Abyss of Reason and Existence (GIGA COPEFUEL)

[Andremln]

What is Nihilism?
Nihilism is a philosophical belief or perspective that life lacks inherent meaning, purpose, or value. It often questions the validity of established norms, beliefs, and moral structures, suggesting that traditional values are baseless and that existence is devoid of objective truth. In its more extreme forms, nihilism can lead to the belief that not only does life have no purpose, but that human existence itself is insignificant in the grand scheme of the universe.

Historically, nihilism emerged as a reaction against established social, political, and religious institutions, particularly during the 19th century. It gained significant traction through the writings of thinkers like Friedrich Nietzsche, who explored the implications of a world "without God," where traditional structures of meaning have collapsed.

By becoming an Nihilist you accept nothing means anything and everything is meaningless, even accepting that you KNOW NOTHING and therefore cannot give advice on anything or even formulate a sentence netherless teach because you can’t make an account for Knowledge (epistemology).

Cosmic Nihilism
Cosmic nihilism is an extension of existential nihilism that emphasizes humanity's insignificance within the vast, indifferent universe. It suggests that not only does life lack inherent meaning, but that the universe itself operates in a way that is entirely indifferent to human existence. The core idea of cosmic nihilism is that the cosmos is so vast and incomprehensible that human aspirations, emotions, and achievements are ultimately trivial.

True Detective Season 1, created by Nic Pizzolatto, is a prime example of how cosmic nihilism is woven into fiction. The show’s narrative, themes, and characters encapsulate this philosophy, particularly through the experiences and musings of Detective Rust Cohle.

How could nihilism improve the life of an Incel? (MECHANISM TO COPE)
Nihilism, particularly existential or cosmic nihilism, might seem bleak at first glance, but it can provide a perspective that could be liberating, especially for those who identify as incels.

- Nihilism fundamentally posits that life has no inherent meaning or value. For someone who struggles with the societal norms around relationships, attractiveness, or success—standards that often fuel the incel identity—this realization can be freeing. By recognizing that these norms are human constructs without universal significance, an individual might feel less burdened by the pressure to conform to them. This detachment could lead to reduced anxiety and a more authentic approach to life.

- Many incels or blackpilled individuals experience existential angst, feeling unfulfilled or rejected by society. Nihilism suggests that such feelings stem from the false belief that there is a "right" way to live or a cosmic reward system for following social expectations. Realizing that the universe is indifferent and that there’s no preordained purpose can help individuals relinquish the idea that they are inherently failing or missing out on a meaningful destiny.

- Nihilism encourages the idea that comparing oneself to others is ultimately fruitless because societal benchmarks—like attractiveness, social status, or success—are arbitrary. Realizing that these comparisons are grounded in a shared human illusion rather than objective reality can be liberating.

- Cosmic nihilism, with its focus on the grand scale of the universe, emphasizes that everything—including one’s current suffering—is temporary and insignificant on a cosmic level.
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Potential Risks and Balancing Act​

While nihilism can have benefits, it’s also important to balance it with constructive thought. For some, the initial confrontation with nihilistic ideas can lead to increased feelings of emptiness or depression. The key is using nihilism as a tool to dismantle harmful, limiting beliefs while pairing it with philosophies or mindsets that encourage action, creation, and engagement with life.

Journey Through Foundational Philosophical Texts

Those are all books that i've already read or im currently reading, their definitions were pulled from ChatGPT but i can back up those are all excellent reads.​

1. Meditations on First Philosophy by René Descartes​

Descartes begins this journey by dismantling reality itself. The meditations introduce radical doubt—what can we trust if even our senses deceive us? For someone already questioning their place in society, this foundational skepticism resonates deeply. Descartes ultimately clings to the famous cogito, ergo sum (“I think, therefore I am”) as the sole certainty. From the incel perspective, this notion underscores the isolation of the individual consciousness. Here, reality itself becomes suspect, a mere projection or illusion with no assurance of external validation or connection.
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2. Introduction to Logic by Irving M. Copi, Carl Cohen, and Nigel Warburton​

As the disillusioned thinker progresses, the rigorous study of logic becomes essential. Understanding the principles of rational argumentation and identifying fallacies empowers the mind to dissect societal narratives. Logic sharpens the ability to challenge assumptions, both personal and societal, revealing the contradictions in mainstream beliefs about success, relationships, and identity. For someone entrenched in a sense of alienation, logic becomes a tool for cutting through comforting lies, allowing for an unflinching analysis of existence.
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3. Prolegomena to Any Future Metaphysics and Critique of Pure Reason by Immanuel Kant​

Kant's work further deepens the journey into philosophical inquiry, presenting the boundaries of human understanding. In the Critique of Pure Reason, Kant reveals that while we can experience phenomena, the noumenal—the true nature of reality—remains inaccessible. This realization aligns with the incel’s view of a life full of veils, where true understanding and fulfillment are perpetually out of reach. Kant’s concepts echo the frustration of striving for meaning in a world where the most profound truths lie beyond human comprehension.
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4. An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding by David Hume​

Hume’s skepticism reinforces Kant's notions by questioning the reliability of empirical knowledge. The idea that causality itself is an assumption shakes the foundations of what one considers reality. For someone grappling with a profound sense of insignificance, Hume’s work highlights that even our understanding of cause and effect, progress, and purpose are mere mental constructs. The incel grappling with Hume’s conclusions might find in them a justification for disengagement from society's expectations and a recognition of the subjective nature of all human experience.
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5. On the Fourfold Root of the Principle of Sufficient Reason and The World as Will and Representation by Arthur Schopenhauer​

Schopenhauer’s bleak vision of existence as driven by an irrational “will” aligns with a deep-seated pessimism. He posits that life is an endless cycle of desire and suffering, with fleeting pleasures only serving as brief respites from pain. The idea that the will operates independently of logic or purpose resonates with those who feel trapped in patterns of longing and disappointment. Schopenhauer’s vision echoes the sentiment that striving for fulfillment—whether in relationships, achievements, or identity—is inherently futile, as satisfaction is an illusionary pursuit.
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6. An Essay on the Necessity of Contingency by Quentin Meillassoux​

Meillassoux takes nihilism a step further by questioning the necessity of the laws of nature themselves. If reality is contingent, then meaning and stability are illusions. This idea feeds into cosmic nihilism, where even the laws we consider fundamental could change or dissolve. The incel reading Meillassoux’s essay might see it as validation that existence is arbitrary and devoid of inherent meaning. This insight can either deepen the sense of hopelessness or liberate the mind from the chains of expectation.
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7. The Conspiracy Against the Human Race by Thomas Ligotti​

Ligotti’s work is perhaps the most explicit in confronting the horror of consciousness. He asserts that life is a cosmic joke, a malicious trick played by existence on sentient beings. This view aligns with the darkest reaches of nihilism, where hope and joy are cast aside as cruel illusions. Ligotti’s prose resonates deeply with those who see themselves as outsiders, tormented by a society that insists on the pursuit of happiness despite the overwhelming evidence of life’s absurdity.
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8. Nihil Unbound by Ray Brassier​

Brassier’s work takes an unflinching look at the endgame of philosophical thought: the acceptance of extinction and the death of meaning. He argues for embracing nihilism not as a negative force but as an ultimate truth. This perspective can be empowering to someone who feels disconnected from the narratives of love, success, and social belonging. By recognizing the indifference of the universe, one might find freedom in detaching from the burdens of imposed significance.

Conclusion: Embracing the Abyss

For those who feel discarded by society, overlooked, or chained to expectations they never agreed to, this path through philosophy can offer a strange solace. These books serve as a mirror, reflecting a reality that’s stripped of comforting lies and false promises. While most of society pushes stories of love, success, and happiness as life’s ultimate goals, this collection of works dismantles those narratives one by one, exposing them as constructs with no foundation in the harshness of truth.

If everything is meaningless, then there is no cosmic scoreboard, no invisible hand pushing people to “win” at life by society’s rules. Nihilism isn’t just about accepting that nothing matters; it’s about realizing that in this indifference, there’s freedom.

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Spoiler: Tagging Users

@Gengar @ey88 @laaltin @cromagnon @longjohnmong

 

[Andremln]

 

[longjohnmong]

He asserts that life is a cosmic joke, a malicious trick played by existence on sentient beings.

trickster snakes

 

[MaghrebGator]

The thing with nihilism is that, sometimes now and then, it throws some relatively hard truths here and there as part of it's philosophy that other ideologies that dominate the present don't speak about or address, and when people learn about it, they just take it as some massive shock or what people here call as "Blackpill" because of the massive prior societal programming that was above the head of the average reader, which made him soy and weak, and therefore unprepared.

The reality is that from my experience, especially in the third world and poor countries, people although they hold their beliefs more dearly they are also aware of the predatory nature of what the hands of the human being have achieved due to seeing poverty and injustice 24/7, so when you tell them about some of those same nihilistic principles, they just laugh at you and think you are retarted in the literal sense of the word (Meaning your brain is late to the party)

Ideologies like nihilism thrived in the first world because the people who read the most were living more or less comfortably in general or at least they were middle class, so they would get shocked by some of the hard truths that got exposed in it. And in the current world, in which the people got even way more comfortable, nihilism just thrives more and more and more, especially given by the boost that having "edgy" beliefs gives to one's social and public image in this day and age.

But, in definitive, i don't feel it's that special. I think we all have that backside on our brain that constantly reminds us of the realities of the world, and it's only a matter of events and occurrences that we bring it forward and give it it's proper place. It's just that people who haven't seen poverty and violence and pain while present physically never get to that scenario, and reading about nihilism is the closest they will ever get. People who actually got there, start to make sense of the events and give them both spiritual and physical meaning, and that's why some of the most important and influential people in the history of humanity were ones who held religious beliefs while having went around and witnessed all the harshness that this world could provide, and instead of ending on the meaningless stop, they went ahead and succeeded.

I think that Nihilism is just a stop and only the unexperienced might stay on it waiting for someone to pick him up, while the others will take matters into their own hands and try to finish the road while seeing if there is an end or a final destination.

 

[MaghrebGator]

The thing with nihilism is that, sometimes now and then, it throws some relatively hard truths here and there as part of it's philosophy that other ideologies that dominate the present don't speak about or address, and when people learn about it, they just take it as some massive shock or what people here call as "Blackpill" because of the massive prior societal programming that was above the head of the average reader, which made him soy and weak, and therefore unprepared.

The reality is that from my experience, especially in the third world and poor countries, people although they hold their beliefs more dearly they are also aware of the predatory nature of what the hands of the human being have achieved due to seeing poverty and injustice 24/7, so when you tell them about some of those same nihilistic principles, they just laugh at you and think you are retarted in the literal sense of the word (Meaning your brain is late to the party)

Ideologies like nihilism thrived in the first world because the people who read the most were living more or less comfortably in general or at least they were middle class, so they would get shocked by some of the hard truths that got exposed in it. And in the current world, in which the people got even way more comfortable, nihilism just thrives more and more and more, especially given by the boost that having "edgy" beliefs gives to one's social and public image in this day and age.

But, in definitive, i don't feel it's that special. I think we all have that backside on our brain that constantly reminds us of the realities of the world, and it's only a matter of events and occurrences that we bring it forward and give it it's proper place. It's just that people who haven't seen poverty and violence and pain while present physically never get to that scenario, and reading about nihilism is the closest they will ever get. People who actually got there, start to make sense of the events and give them both spiritual and physical meaning, and that's why some of the most important and influential people in the history of humanity were ones who held religious beliefs while having went around and witnessed all the harshness that this world could provide, and instead of ending on the meaningless stop, they went ahead and succeeded.

I think that Nihilism is just a stop and only the unexperienced might stay on it waiting for someone to pick him up, while the others will take matters into their own hands and try to finish the road while seeing if there is an end or a final destination.

I need to make clear though, that not every sufferer is necessarily a non nihilist and viceversa, as it is obvious. Some people are just born naturally to understand the human nature and know the hunt or get hunted nature of many others, and others even though they witness suffering they don't know how to interpret anything or they even enjoy watching it, as it would be the case of many psychopaths and so on.

It is just a general overview and analysis from my experience.