I Would Investigate Nihilism...if Anything Mattered.

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A philosophical concept often associated with Nietzsche that we have not yet discussed in class is the idea of nihilism. Nihilism is the idea that  values are pointless and nothing really can be known or taught. The concept, though it predates Nietzche, is most often associated with him due to his outlook that  our insistence on applying order and separation where order and separation do not naturally occur will bring about a destruction or evolution of our species - an extension of his concept that we do not exist separately from our actions. Nihilism applies this concept to everything, especially fixating on the ideas of epistemological failure (knowledge is invalid), value destruction (our values will inevitably be destroyed or at least radically changed), and cosmic purposelessness (nothing matters). Nihilists could perhaps be compared to Eeyore or the stereotypical goth kid.  This may seem extreme, but it all is based on the concept that nothing has meaning besides what we give it. This idea seems to be legitimate. If you were to see a random stick somewhere, it would be nothing but a stick to you. However, if you were a dog it might be the most awesome thing ever, or if you're Eeyore it might make a nice new house (although you will inevitably droop your head and sigh about it not mattering anyway because it'll just fall eventually). To this extent, I can see where nihilism is coming from. However, my understanding of it is that, if we don't stop giving meaning to things, we will ultimately destroy ourselves. I personally find this claim to be unsettling and do not see the reasoning behind it, but to each their own. To me, anyway, it seems that it's in our nature to give purpose or meaning to something, lest we be sad pessimists despairing at the vastness of the universe and insignificance of ourselves. 

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*makes up for a downer ending with a funny T-Rex comic*