New Age Nihilism

If life is meaningless, you can create your own meaning in life - and it can be whatever you want it to be. It’s a philosophy called “optimistic nihilism.”

Optimistic nihilism is the realization that the lack of meaning in the world and the universe as a whole can be liberating.

An optimistic nihilist basically reaches the following conclusion: “Since there is no grand scheme here, I can, myself, decide what I should do with my life.”

Optimistic nihilism is the ability of a person to create his own meaning after fully accepting that the universe is a large place of meaninglessness.

The problem is the reality that dances alongside such a philosophy. If life only has the meaning you give it, and you decide that means robbing as many Dunkin’ Doughnut stores as possible, you will have created chaos for all that sweetened, raised dough. A personal philosophy of “maximum doughnut” is indeed one way to spend a life, but it is selfish to think such a personal goal, benefiting only you, can gi…