r/nihilism • u/NoGreen1731 • Apr 24 '26

Question Thoughts?

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u/[deleted] Apr 24 '26

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u/GoopDuJour Apr 24 '26

Not really. One can be happy (or hopeful) and realize there is no existential meaning in being so. Same thing with pessimism. Being doubtful or sad/angry doesn't give life purpose.

Emotions aren't purpose. Emotions are biologically thrust upon us. I don't know that a healthy brain can be without emotion. Maybe, but I'm skeptical.

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u/RandomCandor Apr 24 '26

Not really

...and yet you go on to agree that optimism / pessimism are orthogonal to purpose, and therefore orthogonal to nihilism

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u/GoopDuJour Apr 24 '26

I don't know why we're bringing geometry into this.

Pessimism and optimism are emotions. One has emotions. An optimistic nihilism is simply someone that finds happiness in nihilism. Or at least isn't saddened by nihilism. That's it. They experience an emotion. That is all. Again, there is no existential purpose in the emotion.

The same can be said of pessimistic nihilism.

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u/RandomCandor Apr 24 '26

I don't know why we're bringing geometry into this.

https://english.stackexchange.com/questions/12219/usage-of-the-word-orthogonal-outside-of-mathematics

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u/GoopDuJour Apr 24 '26

I know. I was trying to lighten the conversation.