I don't know if the article writer is deliberately ignoring the differences between flavors of nihilism or whether the writer just doesn't know that there are different sorts of nihilism.
Anyway, the writer professes that s/he is nice to others because s/he wants others to be nice to him/her. That's fairly social contract-y of him/her. And that sort of thing is exactly what nihilists are against.
Author seems to be a secular humanist rather than a nihilist.
No, I didn't know about different kinds of nihilism (and still don't), I take it to mean that there is no ultimate meaning to life, the universe or everything other than meaning we choose for ourselves. I had been talking a lot to a fundamentalist Christian friend of mine, who of course does think that there is ultimate meaning.
Ha! As I was reading it, I thought, "this sounds sort of like Henry". Although I thought it seemed a bit too unsophisticated to be you. I guess I was wrong? Partly that might be the fact that it was 8 years ago, partly just me not noticing that the tone was less that of someone who is unsophisticated in their thought, as humble about their conclusions - you seem to be pretty simply stating your position without putting any airs of certainty on what isn't certain.
I've heard this sentiment - "I don't think anything fundamentally matters, except that which we choose to care about." - described as Existentialism before, but I think Existentialists thinkers tend to be a bit more ambitious in grandiose in their choice of values (after realizing it's whatever they want to make of it) "make the experience of my life as pleasant as possible for myself".
I'd like to be more ambitious, too. But maybe that's just because my genetics and upbringing have trained me to really, really want something grandiose and 'meaningful'.
I think this sentiment carries a horrendous arrogance:
"I don't think anything fundamentally matters, except that which we choose to care about."
Surely it should be:
"I don't think anything fundamentally matters, except that which we choose to care about. Though I know I'm only pretending and it doesn't really matter after all."
:P
(On a side note I've recently convinced myself that free will must be an illusion. Will post about that soon)
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no subject
Date: 2009-10-09 07:47 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-10-09 08:11 pm (UTC)Anyway, the writer professes that s/he is nice to others because s/he wants others to be nice to him/her. That's fairly social contract-y of him/her. And that sort of thing is exactly what nihilists are against.
Author seems to be a secular humanist rather than a nihilist.
no subject
Date: 2009-10-09 08:33 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-10-09 08:35 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-10-09 09:55 pm (UTC)No, I didn't know about different kinds of nihilism (and still don't), I take it to mean that there is no ultimate meaning to life, the universe or everything other than meaning we choose for ourselves. I had been talking a lot to a fundamentalist Christian friend of mine, who of course does think that there is ultimate meaning.
Sounds like Henry . . .
Date: 2009-10-12 07:48 am (UTC)I've heard this sentiment - "I don't think anything fundamentally matters, except that which we choose to care about." - described as Existentialism before, but I think Existentialists thinkers tend to be a bit more ambitious in grandiose in their choice of values (after realizing it's whatever they want to make of it) "make the experience of my life as pleasant as possible for myself".
I'd like to be more ambitious, too. But maybe that's just because my genetics and upbringing have trained me to really, really want something grandiose and 'meaningful'.
Re: Sounds like Henry . . .
Date: 2009-10-13 09:30 am (UTC)"I don't think anything fundamentally matters, except that which we choose to care about."
Surely it should be:
"I don't think anything fundamentally matters, except that which we choose to care about. Though I know I'm only pretending and it doesn't really matter after all."
:P
(On a side note I've recently convinced myself that free will must be an illusion. Will post about that soon)