Nihilism is a philosophical movement that does not recognize the rules and authorities established by society. A person who shares this worldview and questions any generally accepted norms is a Nihilist. This term is becoming increasingly popular in many areas: religion, culture, law, social sphere.
By considering nihilism as a component of the public sphere, we can find out why this trend arose and at what time. It is important to analyze the principles and views of nihilists and the goals that they usually pursue.
A nihilist is someone who believes that life has no purpose, value or meaning, including his own.
Nihilists do not believe in the existence of any objective morality, and any rules/laws they follow, if any, are superficial or are followed by them only for practical reasons.
Nihilist and nihilism - meaning
The meaning of the word "nihilist" is defined as the denial by an individual of certain things, such as the meaning of personal existence, the presence of authorities and the worship of religious idols.The lexical meaning of the word “nihilist” implies a certain person who is a supporter of radical democratic reasoning and expresses his rejection of generally accepted laws, rules and traditions.
In modern society, the meaning of the word nihilist has acquired a deeper and broader meaning. But the views and beliefs of such people have not changed as before. Nihilists of the 21st century also adhere to worldviews that allow them to question the rules and standards of society, and also deny any ideals, moral and ethical norms and natural forms of social existence.
Nihilist principles
The direction within which nihilistic principles are adhered to has acquired the name nihilism. This movement characterizes a way of thinking and life that implies non-acceptance of everything. A more specific meaning and its manifestation in a given situation depends on the specific circumstances and time frame.In most sources, nihilists are characterized as negative and negative individuals. According to the majority, these individuals are constantly in a state of protest and rebellion, who are not happy with the established rules and laws of society. Supporters of nihilism are found in many areas of society. Each participant in the movement denies the direction that is convenient for him: politics, culture, religion.
The first mention of nihilism appeared in the Middle Ages by Alexander III. German philosopher F.G. Jacobi also used the term nihilism.
It is also known that Nietzsche was a nihilist. He adhered to a statement based on the denial of God and the failure of Christianity as a religion.
A nihilist, if only he is logical, doubts the existence of his interlocutor and is not sure of his own existence.
Victor Hugo. Les Miserables
Traditional nihilism is the basis for the emergence of deeper and new types of this trend. Participants in the nihilistic movement are not always unanimous in their reasoning and conclusions. Even more disputes arise between society and representatives of nihilism. Ordinary members of society cannot understand nihilists and their beliefs.
It is even more difficult to understand a nihilist who does not accept any interaction and does not believe in anything. Nihilists have a hard time understanding a society that idealizes and gives meaning to things without good reason. With their protest they are trying to prove that the existence of the world does not depend on people and their ideals. The world and the universe functions separately from everything and does not need cultivation and worship.
Thus, nihilism is characterized by a worldview that is based on progress and rationality.
Basic principles and views of nihilists
The views of nihilists are always clear and concise. Their statements are subject to specific principles and statements in which they believe.The most common statements of nihilists are considered to be the following:
- There is no main ruler or creator, i.e. God does not exist, since there is no reasonable and understandable evidence of this fact.
- Morality and morality do not exist in an independent form.
- Life has no truth and any objective action is not more important than another.
Types of nihilism
- Philosophical, which states that existence does not carry a specific meaning, truth, factor or value.
- Mereological. According to this type, objects and objects created from individual parts do not exist.
- Metaphysical. The basis here is a position based on the theory of denying the existence of objects in real time.
- Epistemological a type of nihilism denies any kind of knowledge.
- Moral The view argues, taking into account the metaethical view, that there is no such thing as moral or immoral.
- Legal nihilism. Here the norms and rules of behavior established by the governing body are called into question. In this thinking in the public environment there is an active and passive denial of individual rights. This is an obstacle to the normal development of society and can lead to illegal actions.
What does a nihilist and nihilism look like in real life and in literature?
On the territory of Russia, the definition of nihilism appeared in 1829. The first to use this term was Nadezhdin N.I. At a later time, nihilism was indicated in the work of Bervy V.V. Nihilism in the form in which we know it became more widely known in Turgenev’s novel I.S. "Fathers and Sons". The popularity of this work allowed the term nihilism to become a popular expression.
In modern society, a nihilist can often be found in real life, as well as in literature. Undoubtedly, in literature the term nihilism was most vividly and fully described by Turgenev in his work. With the help of the main character as a nihilist, the author conveyed to the reader the whole meaning of this concept, and the consequences of such behavior. This novel became very popular and gained its fans. As time passed, the meaning of the word nihilism began to include more and more meanings. To the previously established principles is added the denial of authorities and doubt in the legal capabilities of citizens.
Nihilism is a person’s despair about his inability to do a job to which he is not at all called.
Vasily Vasilievich Rozanov. Apocalypse of our time
Nihilism as a trend is mainly found in Russia and other countries of the post-Soviet space. In Western countries, nihilism as a philosophical movement almost does not exist and manifests itself in isolated cases. Nihilism in Russia appeared in the early 60s of the 19th century. Prominent representatives of this trend were Chernyshevsky, Pisarev and Dobrolyubov. Later representatives of the nihilistic movement include V.I. Lenin. Certain features of his behavior and views make it possible to classify him as such a follower.
Besides the representatives of Russian nihilism, the most famous is the German philosopher Nietzsche. He was an ardent nihilist in every way. His worldview and beliefs are based on the devaluation of high values and the denial of God. In addition to all this, he denied the need for a person to have compassion for another and took the presence of such a quality for weakness. By his definition, the ideal is an angry and selfish person who is incapable of empathy and sympathy.
Conclusion
Although nihilism is not a new phenomenon, many questions regarding this term still have no answers. This concept is interpreted differently for everyone. Some perceive this position as a disease that prevents them from existing normally in society. For others, on the contrary, it is a panacea for all diseases.A nihilist denies family values, spiritual life, moral principles, i.e. he does not recognize these fundamental concepts on which society rests and exists. Everyone should realize that all these fundamentals are important and without them normal functioning among people is not possible.
Do you think nihilism is a death sentence, or is it still possible to change a person’s worldview? Are nihilists born or made?
Nihilism as a philosophical concept postulates the following ideas: there is no morality that is called real; nothing clearly indicates the existence of a supreme creator of all things; existence has no truth, there are no right and wrong actions, objectively their value is the same. As you might guess, a nihilist is a person disillusioned with the world. Nihilism is the most sarcastic concept, hiding under the guise of cynicism the bitterness of disappointment in all things and the awareness of the futility of existence.
Western European nihilism
The greatest distribution of this term was given by the nihilists of the 19th century, since it was during this period that the nihilistic movement acquired particular scope both in Russia and in the West. The concept of "nihilism" was first introduced by F. G. Jacobi, a German philosopher. The most striking nihilist in the history of philosophy is, undoubtedly, Friedrich Nietzsche, who believes that the true world (as it should be according to pro-Christian thinkers) does not exist, that it is nothing more than an illusion, a fiction. O. Spengler came up with the idea of the decline of European culture, the destruction of previous forms of consciousness. Another well-known nihilist is one who believes that the Christian faith is undergoing a crisis, which is the reason for the spread of nihilistic views.
Nihilism in 19th century Russia
Since the second half of the 19th century, a movement began to grow in Russia, denying the established foundations of social society. The commoners of the sixties preached atheism and materialism and ridiculed religious ideology. The term “nihilism” gained the greatest popularity thanks to the well-known novel by Turgenev I.S. “Fathers and Sons” and the general popular sentiment described in it fully corresponded to the ideas of nihilism, which served to spread this term among the masses.
Psychological point of view
For those who are a little familiar with psychology and such a concept, it becomes obvious that nihilism is precisely a form of such protection.
Essentially, a nihilist is in search of the meaning and reason for one’s existence in the world. The surrounding reality does not correspond to a person’s internal ideas about what the true world should be, and this contradiction is reflected in the process of denial. Thus, nihilism and nihilists are analyzed from the point of view of depth psychology. A person is torn between two tendencies - the desire for freedom and the need to belong to a group. The stronger the desire for freedom, the more lonely the individual feels on his path. E. Fromm’s work “Flight from Freedom” describes the characteristics of when one perceives this freedom, namely, the desire to destroy the world (at least through denying it) and the desire to thereby destroy oneself, rejecting the meaning of one’s existence. Proponents of the bodily approach in psychology note the external characteristics of a nihilist: an ironic grin, defiant behavior, ironic remarks. These are defensive reactions fixed in the past that have remained in a person’s traits.
Thus, nihilism is a person’s unique response to what is happening in the world, a defensive reaction in response to unwanted phenomena in the surrounding reality.
As soon as I heard the word “nihilist,” my brain obediently sang a song line in the voice of Lyapis Trubetskoy “Nihilist - tu-ru-tu-tu-tu, evil worm - tu-ru-tu-tu...” However, no matter how much you laugh, explain the meaning a “nihilist” term is needed. So, let's begin.
When asked about nihilists, the Internet produced a bunch of links. Like any phenomenon, nihilism is rarely described neutrally: one secretly admires it, another openly despises it. In many articles, only the definition of the term “nihilist” was not biased: “From the Latin word “nihil” - “nothing” - the name of a person who expresses his position in denying the meaningfulness of human existence, the significance of generally accepted and cultural values, and non-recognition of any authorities. And even then it was distorted. For comparison, the same word in Ushakov’s explanatory dictionary: “Nihilist is the name of a person with a progressive, radical-democratic way of thinking towards the established traditions and ideology of the noble-bourgeois society.” A kind of good uncle, opposed to the bourgeoisie. Although, this bias is understandable - the dictionary was published in Soviet times, in the pre-war year one thousand nine hundred and forty. In fact, nihilism first showed its indifferent face to everything in one thousand one hundred and seventy-nine. Then this teaching was anathematized with a light hand by Pope Alexander II and did not receive much distribution. And all because the nihilists of that time rejected the human nature of Jesus Christ.
For the second time, nihilism flashed through Western philosophy. It was used by the German writer and philosopher F. G. Jacobi. After him, many philosophers began to use the concept. The famous F. Nietzsche, for example, understood the term “nihilism” as an awareness of the illusory nature of the Christian idea of God “in heaven” (remember the phrase: “God is dead!”) and the idea of progress, which he also considered a version of religion. In order to understand the nihilistic movement most clearly, we need to look at the statements they hold:
1) There is no reasonable evidence of a supreme ruler or creator;
2) “Real morality” does not exist;
3) Life, in a certain sense, has no truth, and no action is objectively preferable to any other.
It would be nice if it were just nihilism. But its adherents turned out to be surprisingly tireless people, and created several varieties of their movement:
1) Philosophical nihilism - asserts that existence has no objective meaning, reason, truth or value;
2) Mereological nihilism - the position according to which objects consisting of parts do not exist;
3) Metaphysical nihilism - a philosophical theory according to which the existence of objects in reality is not necessary;
4) Epistemological (what a word!) nihilism - denial of knowledge;
5) Moral nihilism - the metaethical view that nothing is moral or immoral;
6) Legal nihilism - active or passive denial of individual rights, as well as the norms and rules of behavior established by the state, which impedes the progressive development of society and can become a source for committing illegal acts.
In Russia, the word became popular only after the famous novel by I. S. Tugrenev “Fathers and Sons,” where the author called the main character, Evgeny Bazarov, a nihilist. The impression from the talented book made the word popular. Turgenev himself said that when he returned to St. Petersburg after the publication of his novel - and this happened during the famous St. Petersburg fires of one thousand eight hundred and sixty-two - the word “nihilist” was already picked up by many, and the first phrase that came out of the mouth of the first acquaintance, Turgenev saw was this: “Look what your nihilists are doing: they are burning St. Petersburg!”
Honestly, I also need to express my, so to speak, author’s position. And it seems to me that some types of nihilist movements are completely out of thin air: the same metaphysical nihilism that immediately stumbles when confronted with science.
Hello dear readers. Today we will talk about what nihilism is, what it is in simple words. Let’s define this concept and find out what kind of person can be called a nihilist. Let's talk about the positive and negative sides of nihilism.
Definition of the concept
Despite the fact that you can often hear the word nihilists, not everyone knows what it means. It comes from Latin and is translated as “nothing.” This is a person who belongs to a certain movement, subculture, denies the ideals and norms accepted by society. Nihilists can be found among creative individuals who have a non-standard type of thinking; you can hear about them in mass media sources and in literary works.
A nihilist denies stereotypes, moral norms and rules. This ideological position is contradictory, often conflicting. It has the right to exist, however, it is not approved by society.
In different historical eras, the definition of nihilism has had slightly different meanings. For the first time they started talking about it in the medieval era, nihilism was considered as a certain doctrine, which was represented by Pope Alexander III. In Germany, this term was used by the writer Yaqubi, who considered it as a philosophical direction. Nietzsche was a nihilist, he was convinced of the failure of the Christian God, and opposed the ideas of progress.
Today you can find both adherents of nihilism and its opponents. Some people see this phenomenon as a pathological condition and consider it necessary to resist it, while others are adherents of this idea.
Nihilists do not believe in values such as art, love, and nature. However, human morality is always based on such concepts. Each individual must realize that in the world around him there are values, without which it is not possible to live. Namely, love for people, for life, the desire to receive satisfaction from one’s existence, to be happy. A person who is carried away by nihilistic views may, over time, realize the fallacy of his opinions, the incorrectness of his judgments.
Nihilists can deny spiritual life, family values, and moral principles. They do not want to recognize the concepts that form the basis of the existence of society. Every person must understand that these basics are important for normal existence among people.
Varieties
- Worldview position, philosophical views. Describes constant doubts, inconsistency of generally accepted values, ideals, morality, norms and culture.
- Metaphysical. The belief that the presence of objects in the real world is not necessary.
- Legal. Denial of human responsibilities, rights in passive and active manifestation, established norms, laws, rules of the state.
- Mereological. Denial of objects that consist of particles.
- Epistemological. Absolute denial of any knowledge and teachings.
- Moral. Denial of immoral and moral aspects of society.
- Youthful nihilism. Starting from adolescence, a young person has a desire to understand himself, his life, and decide on his life path. It is not uncommon for a teenager to begin to deny a certain phenomenon. This behavior got its name as youthful nihilism. It, like youthful maximalism, is an ardent denial accompanied by vivid emotions. This type of nihilism can occur not only in teenagers and young adults, but also has the potential to manifest itself in various areas, in particular in culture, knowledge, religion, public life, rights, and in people of different ages if they are overly emotional.
- Cultural. Denial of objectionable cultures. For example, there was such a movement as counterculture, which denied the development of any culture other than the avant-garde.
- Geographical. There is a denial of geographical characteristics and directions. This type of nihilism is a new definition. Sometimes it is called false, incorrect.
- Religious. Characterized by opposition to religion, denial of the values of society and spirituality. Criticism is accompanied by lack of spirituality. So a nihilist can easily be called a cynic. Such a person, pursuing his selfish goals, can slander religion.
- Social. Broad definition, manifested in such events:
- failure to accept reforms;
- reluctance to follow innovations;
- dissatisfaction with political trends;
- reluctance to conform to Western patterns of behavior;
- non-acceptance of a new way of life;
- reluctance to comply with changes;
- a hateful attitude, sometimes hostility towards state institutions.
Pros and cons
We have already seen that nihilism is an individual’s negative attitude towards some views, values or ideals. This phenomenon is a form of worldview, a model of behavior in society.
The benefits include:
- the ability to express one’s own individuality;
- searching for new solutions, the likelihood of making discoveries;
- the opportunity to declare your identity;
- the ability to defend one's opinion.
It is worth considering the negative aspects of this direction, namely:
- limited views, inability to go beyond the boundaries;
- categorical judgments, which harms the nihilist himself;
- the misunderstanding that is caused among others, the lack of normal friends and associates.
Now you know what the concept of nihilism and nihilists means. Although nihilism is not a new phenomenon, many questions affecting it are still unanswered. An individual person can interpret the meaning of this term differently; some view nihilism as a disease that does not allow one to live normally in society, while others view it as a panacea.
In simple terms, a nihilist is a person who denies everything. Good and evil, morality, love, religion and power.
For schoolchildren the word “nihilist” associated with Bazarov from Turgenev's novel "Fathers and Sons". A hero with a clearly visible revolutionary consciousness.
It was thanks to the novel that the word quickly spread throughout society. Nihilists were generally viewed negatively. But there was another attitude.
Mathematician Sofia Kovalevskaya published a story "Nihilist" in which she described the path of the girl Vera to nihilism through marriage with a young revolutionary. Nihilism like philosophy of atheism and materialism, was liked by members of the “People's Will” organization.
It's hard to believe, but the origins of the philosophy of nihilism go back to the Middle Ages! The doctrine appeared in the 12th century. Attributed to Peter of Lombardy and was declared heretical Pope Alexander III in 1179.
The term “nihilism” was introduced into European philosophy by a German writer F. G. Jacobi. Then the term was picked up by other minds. M.Heidegger believed that nihilism could lead to a global catastrophe. The brightest representative of this philosophy can be called Nietzsche.
He explained his denial of morality by human nature itself, in which there is a touch of culture and civilization - and morality is also a product of civilization, that it “apple peel” over the chaos of the human soul.
Philosophy quickly took root in Russia among progressive noble youth 60-70s of the XIX century. The usual morality of the “fathers” seemed to them already outdated. Nihilism was not the creation of a new philosophy; this was its main flaw. He denied everything, without creating anything new yet.
The term has become widespread “legal nihilism” – refusal to respect legal laws society. This form of nihilism denies laws.
May lead to illegal actions. It is believed that respect for the law decreases primarily because a person repeatedly sees non-compliance with laws and impunity for those who committed crimes.
"Double standards" law, bribery of judges, etc. makes people disillusioned with the justice of the law as such. Legal nihilism is manifested even in Russian proverbs. “The law is that the drawbar – wherever you turn, that’s where it comes out” and many others.
Who is a nihilist?
Psychologist E. Fromm suggested that nihilism is a kind of model of psychological defense. A consequence of disappointment in people and in life.
Wilhelm Reich believes that the external cynicism of nihilists is just a mask and nothing more. He also coined the term “character neurosis”- that is, a neurosis in which the enhanced psychological defense mechanism goes into individual character traits.
However, nihilism can also be a natural part of growing up. Youthful nihilism- teenage rebellion. A natural period of denial of authorities - teachers, elders, and sometimes even power.
Nihilism still exists today. Now it also has separate branches. Geographical nihilism– denial or change of the usual concepts of “Europe”, “Asia”, “east”, “west”, etc.
Cultural nihilism. Rejection of culture and art. This may include Mayakovsky and futurists. Mayakovsky in his “Manifesto” called on the futurists to “throw Pushkin off the ship of modernity.”
Those. completely reject art. Representatives of cultural nihilism agree to preserve only avant-garde art, as a manifestation of rebellion.
Epistemological nihilism– skepticism in its radical form. Denies the possibility of knowledge. This form of nihilism was a reaction to the ideal and universal goal of ancient Greek thought. In ancient Greek philosophy, the Sophists were the first to support it.
Religious nihilism. Nothing new here. Denial of religion as such - including Christian.
Social nihilism is expressed in a variety of manifestations. Rejection of state institutions and reforms. It can manifest itself in different ways, from completely harmless manifestations to serious antisocial acts, hooliganism, unauthorized rallies, etc.
Nihilist views:
- Denial of God or gods.
- Morality is an invention of people. There is no objective morality.
- Truth does not exist.
Nihilists deny marriage, as such, considering it a form of enslavement of people, and advocated free relations. In this sense, the French writer can also be considered nihilism George Sand. In her works, in particular in the novel “George Sand,” she depicts marriage as a prison for a woman.
A phrase from the movie fits here “The Monk and the Demon” 2016. Daemon Legion calls a monk Ivana create a society very similar to a communist utopia. “Emancipation of women from men, men from women. Emancipation of everyone from everything.”
