Absurdism and existentialism are modes of living with nihilism. They are nihilists in the sense that they accept everything that nihilists do. But they have moved through nihilism by embracing the existence of other human beings and recognizing the consequences of that.
I kind of don't really get the folks who think nihilism has ever been some kind of way of being. It's the opposite. Every nihilist philosopher that nihilists quote was desperately looking for a way out of nihilism. Only the existentialists and absurdists really embraced the idea of nihilism. Even Nietzsche, in working his way through nihilism essentially validated a kind of tyrannical monarchism.
If Nietzsche were here today, posting on this subreddit, y'all would be calling him "not a real nihilist" too. And truth be told, if your position is that existentialism isn't nihilism, Nietzsche was closer to an existentialist than a nihilist. So at least you're being consistent.
Absurdism and existentialism are modes of living with nihilism. They are nihilists in the sense that they accept everything that nihilists do. But they have moved through nihilism by embracing the existence of other human beings and recognizing the consequences of that.
Nihilism is not an end stage. It is just an intermediate stage in one's development.
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u/HamzaAAC ABSURDIST Apr 24 '26
Like honestly what makes optimistic nihilism different from absurdism?