this post was submitted on 17 Jul 2024
1 points (100.0% liked)

Excellent Reads

1502 readers
1 users here now

Are you tired of clickbait and the current state of journalism? This community is meant to remind you that excellent journalism still happens. While not sticking to a specific topic, the focus will be on high-quality articles and discussion around their topics.

Politics is allowed, but should not be the main focus of the community.

Submissions should be articles of medium length or longer. As in, it should take you 5 minutes or more to read it. Article series’ would also qualify.

Please either submit an archive link, or include it in your summary.

Rules:

  1. Common Sense. Civility, etc.
  2. Server rules.

founded 1 year ago
MODERATORS
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
1
I Am Not Always Very Attached To Being Alive: Living With Passive Suicidal Ideation (theoutline.com)
submitted 3 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
43 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

At 27, I’ve settled into a comfortable coexistence with my suicidality. We’ve made peace, or at least a temporary accord negotiated by therapy and medication. It’s still hard sometimes, but not as hard as you might think. What makes it harder is being unable to talk about it freely: the weightiness of the confession, the impossibility of explaining that it both is and isn’t as serious as it sounds. I don’t always want to be alive. Yes, I mean it. No, you shouldn’t be afraid for me. No, I’m not in danger of killing myself right now. Yes, I really mean it.

How do you explain that?

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[–] [email protected] 0 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Nihilism is a bitch.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Nihilism can be incredibly liberating—IF one is willing to put in the hard work of self-actualization. Finding meaning in an apathetic universe is inherently difficult. Way easier, but less fulfilling, to just float on wherever.

Recognizing life’s inherent meaninglessness not as a source of despair but as an opportunity to live more fully and freely allows one to create their own meaning, focus on the present, and find joy in the experiences and relationships that life offers.

I mean, it’s also not permission to be a completely selfish narcissist asshole either—what we do and say does matter to others; but the universe is billions of years old and will continue to exist for gazillions more. Might as well make the best of it while you can.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Ah, good ol' optimistic nihilism. Other animals don't give a shit about whether or not there's a meaning to life - they just do it. We humans have the power to create meaning, enough that our emotions can be affected by mere sounds, words, or the presence of others. Make life mean what you want it to and don't worry about intrinsic meaning - it doesn't matter. What matters is what we believe matters.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Funnily enough South Park really drilled this in to me with their imagination land series lol

[–] [email protected] 0 points 3 months ago (1 children)

I never considered Imagination Land to be optimistic nihilism, but I can see it!

[–] [email protected] 0 points 3 months ago

I’ve never pondered or looked into optimistic nihilism. but your description hit me right in the face with it 😆

One of my favorite quotes is Nihilists with a good imagination so maybe that’s what tied it all together for me