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Single Idea 9782

[filed under theme 23. Ethics / F. Existentialism / 2. Nihilism ]

Full Idea

Nietzsche opposes active to passive nihilism - it is better to actively will nothing itself than not to will anything.

Gist of Idea

Nietzsche urges that nihilism be active, and will nothing itself

Source

report of Friedrich Nietzsche (Works (refs to 8 vol Colli and Montinari) [1885]) by Slavoj Zizek - Conversations, with Glyn Daly §3

Book Ref

Zizek,Slavoj: 'Conversations with Zizek (with G.Daly)' [Polity 2004], p.104


A Reaction

To 'actively will nothing' sounds to me indistinguishable from suicide, which I don't believe was ever on Nietzsche's agenda. It is hard, though, to disentangle Nietzsche's attitude to nihilism.


The 19 ideas with the same theme [human life seems pointless and absurd]:

Jacobi was the first philosopher to talk of nihilism [Jacobi, by Critchley]
For me time stands still, and I with it [Kierkegaard, by Carlisle]
My eternal recurrence is opposed to feeling fragmented and imperfect [Nietzsche]
For the strongest people, nihilism gives you wings! [Nietzsche]
The ethical teacher exists to give purpose to what happens necessarily and without purpose [Nietzsche]
Modern nihilism is now feeling tired of mankind [Nietzsche]
Nihilism results from measuring the world by our categories which are purely invented [Nietzsche]
Nietzsche urges that nihilism be active, and will nothing itself [Nietzsche, by Zizek]
Initially nihilism was cosmic, but later Nietzsche saw it as a cultural matter [Nietzsche, by Ansell Pearson]
The greatest experience possible is contempt for your own happiness, reason and virtue [Nietzsche]
The pointlessness of our motives and irrelevance of our gestures reveals our vacuity [Cioran]
Evidence suggests that humans do not have a purpose [Cioran]
The universe is dirty and fragile, as if a scandal in nothingness had produced its matter [Cioran]
If we believe existence is absurd, this should dictate our conduct [Camus]
Happiness and the absurd go together, each leading to the other [Camus]
'Absurdity' is just the result of our wrong choices in life [Solomon]
If a small brief life is absurd, then so is a long and large one [Nagel]
Life is only absurd if you expected an explanation and none turns up [Graham]
Perceiving meaninglessness is an achievement, which can transform daily life [Critchley]