“It resonated with me, particularly because I don’t like school much, so it proved I didn’t have to give much of a shit about it as all of us amount to the same nothing – no matter how successful or how hard we try,” he explains. Luke recognises that misanthropy – the general hatred for humanity – is a bleak concept but, he argues, it’s hard not to be “when you see how morally corrupt we all are, and the damage we are doing to the planet”.ĭespite this, Luke maintains that “the nihilistic mentality is incredibly freeing”. “The concept that nothing matters can be very depressing,” he says. “We are thrust into this universe for no apparent reason.”Īdopting nihilistic beliefs made Luke feel alienated and suicidal.
“I think nihilism is necessary for a true life,” the 15-year-old student tells Huck. He soon began to subscribe to the belief central to nihilism, which is that life is meaningless. But can believing nothing matters also be a catalyst for positive action?Ībout a year ago, while the UK was in lockdown, Luke* discovered nihilism through a philosophy channel on YouTube. Amid rising inequality and the climate crisis, the belief that life is meaningless is gaining traction.Īmid rising inequality and the climate crisis, the view that life is meaningless is gaining traction.
