Philosophy makes us think about big questions, about things like existence and the meaning of life. It helps us understand the world around us, and ourselves. A question most prominent in philosophy is “What is the meaning of life”? A common misconception is that absurdism and nihilism answer this question the same, but that cannot be more incorrect. So let’s look at the differing perspectives of nihilists and absurdist's.
Nihilism is the belief that life has no real meaning or purpose and that nothing can be known or conveyed. Nihilists argue that nothing matters in the long run and that our actions, thoughts, and feelings are insignificant. People who believe in nihilism may experience pessimistic thoughts, and express gloom-ridden behavior. On the other hand, absurdism is the belief that life is irrational, it is devoid of meaning. The purpose of absurdism is to devoid yourself of the belief that life has a specific purpose, and to instead embrace the idea that it is inherently meaningless. Meaning that in the chaotic nature that is the world, face its absurdity head on. Absurdism teaches people to embrace that uncertainty rather than trying to control it.
The meaning of life has been endlessly discussed throughout human history, and is still a prevalent question today. Nihilism and absurdism are two interesting philosophies, while seemingly similar, the beliefs and underlying tones of each philosophy are very different. We can associate the two philosophies with the myth of Sisyphus. Sisyphus was punished after death, his eternal punishment is to roll a boulder up a hill that inevitably falls down, and he must repeat the process till the end of time. If you apply nihilism to the myth of Sisyphus, we can expand on the idea of absurdity and say that Sisyphus’ ordeal is pointless, and inherently has no meaning, because in the end the boulder shall fall again, he will repeat the process. There is no point. If we apply the concept of absurdism to the myth of Sisyphus, we can imagine that Sisyphus, instead of finding despair, embraces his futile ordeal and finds meaning and purpose in the absurdness of his struggle. Nothing matters, there is no point, so he will in a sense have created his own point, and found his own purpose amidst the absurdity of his task.
While both nihilism and absurdism believe the meaning of life is nonexistent, they offer contrasting responses. Nihilism tends to leave people feeling discouraged with a pessimistic mindset, whereas absurdism encourages people to embrace the irrationality and absurdity of life and appreciate it. The question of life’s meaning might never be answered. Ask yourself this, which philosophy aligns with your mindset currently? Do you believe you’ve found purpose in the seemingly meaningless and absurd universe?
