How can I overcome nihilism?

Answer 1

Good question. But don't overcome nihilism. It is probably the metaphysical truth. All arrows point to it, but people do not want to face it (2, appendix 2). The brightest (2,5) and happiest beings in the universe are doubtless "happy nihilists," like the fictional zetosophers and namians, who long ago happily gave up the "comforting illusions" people live for, as Nietzsche observed. We are, as Freud observed, experts at self-deception. The freedom from illusion and self-deception is one of the "highest highs."

Rather than overcome nihilism, why not become a "happy nihilist" like the namian Jesus (3), Doubting Thomas (4), Cara Lotte (5) and Hamlet (6)? Happy nihilism is nothing like ordinary nihilism. It is a metaphysical nihilism in that it posits that the world is without eternal substance and exists as a zero sum state of energy. But unlike ordinary nihilism and Russian nihilism, "happy nihilism" has an empirically-derived Christian like ethic (3,4) based on the golden rule that focuses on being happy and making everyone around us happier.

What else do we need? We definitely do not need to coach ourselves to believe things against all available evidence, as do religious people (4) and philosophers who believe in an illusory absolute truth.

The simplest of three possible explanations why there is no universal agreement on any absolute (non-trivial) truth is that there is no absolute truth to be found (metaphysical nihilism by default). There are trivial tautologies of math and logic and there are still the relative, empirical truths of science and the ones that can be derived from a scientific foundation, such as fundamental human equality (2, chapter 25), on which ethics can be grounded (3).

Eventually, people will stop deceiving themselves and come to this happy realization. You are lucky. You already believe there are no absolute truths or that absolute truths are unknowable (Kant). So let's find the relative truths that stand up to rigorous examination.

Answer 2

overcome nihilism

Answer 3

To one side the balance tipped in the springtide of life. And in the autumn...a withering vine. Oh yes, I remember. A faulty self-diagnosis overcome by nature herself. How you wish it were "nihilism" instead of something else. How I cherish the generation that wishes to overcome the "something else"!

Answer 4

Nihilism is a form of life-against-life... Nihilism says "no" to life and feeling and to anything mattering at all. The fact that nihilism is uncomfortable (ie, the fact that you're asking this question) reveals that actually, it really does matter. By recognizing that you struggle with nihilism, you have taken your first steps in overcoming it.

But it is not enough to recognize that nihilism is within you, any more than recognizing that you have a cold will cure it. You overcome nihilism by choice. You make a turn, a change, in your way of thinking (and more importantly, your way of living). You acknowledge your nihilism - in so doing, you are already affirming yourself and beginning to overcome it. You say "yes" to life. You say "yes" to yourself. You choose to take charge of yourself and create the life you want to live. Little by little, step by step, you shake nihilism off of you. As nihilism embodies "inaction," you overcome it with "action." Live robustly. Live fully. Challenge yourself, expose yourself to the arts and music and spirituality and nature and various experiences; discover what inspires you. It's not an overnight fix - it's a process that takes time. But by affirming yourself, affirming your life, saying "yes" to experiences, you will overcome nihilism one moment at a time.

EDIT: For the record - Nietzsche is not a bad guy to read. But often he is misread, and misunderstood. It takes time, and thought, and sometimes discussion to really "get" what he was getting at. And nihilism is not a way of life - there is no "happy nihilist." To be "happy" and a "nihilist" is a contradiction and a misunderstanding of what nihilism means. For Nietzsche, nihilism was a problem. A symptom of a deeper disease. I do not agree with everything that Nietzsche had to say - in fact, I don't think Nietzsche even expected people to agree with him. If you read Nietzsche asking yourself, "is this true?" then you are missing the point. A better way to read Nietzsche is to ask yourself, "what can I learn from this?"

Answer 5

Stop reading Nietzsche.

Answer 6

Mathmatically prove that God exists... then nihilism starts to fall apart.

Answer 7

Instead of believing in nothing, believe in everything!

Answer 8

I don't think you can.

Answer 9

Instead of "hanging-on" just "let-go"...

Answer 10

Faith.