the song "mad world" makes me cry. i see a meaning in it in which life in meaningless?

Question

i dunno if that's true, but nihilism has some good arguments, and i'm thinking about everything.

i have a cynical view towards mankind.

i dunno. it's just all not where it needs to be.

Answer 1

The song deeply moves me as well. However, it doesn't strike me as implying life is meaningless, because the words clearly show the author of the lyrics cares about the world. People don't care about truly meaningless things, because they ARE meaningless.

The fact that life isn't perfect, that improvement is both possible and essential, shows life means something and has value. We don't fix things we don't value; we throw them away. However, when our lives are unsatisfying, our nature is to fix them. The fact that you've noticed problems and have chosen to ask questions rather than make an immediate exit from life demonstrates that life means something to you and has value.

It isn't cynical to notice flaws. That's merely observant. It's cynical (and, in my opinion, a rather chic way of being lazy) to notice flaws and point them out but refuse to make efforts to correct them. Without the polysyllabic words, there's another name for it: whining. I'm not saying you're doing that, just that you may want to look at self-proclaimed cynics and consider their contribution to society in another light.

It's the height of narcicism to arrive at the conclusion nothing has value, because the nihilist invariably thinks he or she still does. That's why a nihilist spends money on him/herself, appreciates his or her own appearance and PLACES ANY WEIGHT ON HIS OR HER OWN OPINIONS. To not attribute such value to others is to be a sociopath.

The question is: where should YOU be? Should you be holding up a scorecard for humanity, or should you be somewhere in the fray trying to change the moves? I suggest you clarify your dissatisfaction and get active.

Answer 2

The good thing about nihilism is that it means that you're honest in your thinking. Most people cannot bear nihilism because at it's logical conclusion, it leads to suicide or insanity. Nihilism denies the worth of anything includes ourselves. Consider this quote:

"There is only one really serious philosophical question, and that is suicide. Deciding whether or not life is worth living is to answer the fundamental question in philosophy. All other questions follow from that." (Albert Camus)

Honest atheism results in nihilism, honest nihilism results in death.