# Can you fight Nihilism? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 16, 2020, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-fight-nihilism/849561 "2020-03-16T03:27:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Machinaforce](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/aeb1de/32.png) [@Machinaforce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machinaforce)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2020, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-fight-nihilism/849561/81 "2020-03-27T03:03:45Z")
Here it is, I found it: > [@](#): > > He demands that metaphysicians push nihilism to its most obvious conclusion: that extinction retroactively annihilates all meaning. He pierces into the depths of the bleak void of nothingness, stares at it in the eyes, and returns to tell us that extinction has “always already occurred.” We are already dead. > First of all reader, you must know that in “one trillion, trillion, trillion (10^1728) years from now the accelerating expansion of the universe will have disintegrated the fabric of matter itself, terminating the possibility of embodiment”. Not only does this imply that life, thought, space, and time will perish, it also logically proves that it has already happened. As Brassier puts it “everything is already dead”. The extinction of all has “retroactively” annihilated everything. This post-asymptopian state of “eternal and unfathomable blackness” already encompasses all diachronic events and forces us to confront implications that are far beyond them. Extinction pervades the present by encompassing “a future that has already been, and a past that is perpetually yet to be”. This eternal, ever-expanding nothingness is the only thing that exists. That is to say everything is already nothingness. ---
**Author:** ![Isamu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7c8e57/32.png) [@Isamu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isamu)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2020, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-fight-nihilism/849561/82 "2020-03-27T03:33:23Z")
"First of all reader, you must know that in “one trillion, trillion, trillion (10^1728) years from now the accelerating expansion of the universe will have disintegrated the fabric of matter itself” That’s just like…your opinion, man. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2020, 10:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-fight-nihilism/849561/83 "2020-03-27T10:57:50Z")
> [@Machinaforce](#): > > Here it is, I found it: Yes, you found a quote that says “life, thought, space, and time will perish”. But I don’t see why you think it’s relevant: imagine, for a moment, the _reverse_ of that. Imagine, for a moment, a scenario where some animals _would_ still be grunting at each other a trillion trillion trillion years from now. Or whatever. If that were the case, would it prompt you to say, _oh, how wondrous! Lo, there is meaning! Go, tell it on the mountain!_ — or would you instead say _so what?_ ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2020, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-fight-nihilism/849561/84 "2020-03-27T13:26:43Z")
> [@Machinaforce](#): > > Here it is, I found it: Last person out, please remember to turn off the lights and lock the door. ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2020, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-fight-nihilism/849561/85 "2020-03-27T14:17:58Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > Bullshit. The only truth is, we exist. Deal with it. Don’t let the solipsists hear that! ---
**Author:** ![GreenWyvern](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/greenwyvern/32/2834_2.png) [@GreenWyvern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenWyvern)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2020, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-fight-nihilism/849561/86 "2020-03-27T14:20:05Z")
How many nihilists does it take to change a light bulb? Nil. One trillion, trillion, trillion (10^1728) years from now, all light bulbs will have failed anyhow, so we can just sit in the dark until then. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2020, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-fight-nihilism/849561/87 "2020-03-27T15:14:23Z")
> [@GreenWyvern](#): > > How many nihilists does it take to change a light bulb? > > Nil. One trillion, trillion, trillion (10^1728) years from now, all light bulbs will have failed anyhow, so we can just sit in the dark until then. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Machinaforce](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/aeb1de/32.png) [@Machinaforce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machinaforce)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2020, 6:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-fight-nihilism/849561/88 "2020-03-31T06:57:04Z")
> [@GreenWyvern](#): > > How many nihilists does it take to change a light bulb? > > Nil. One trillion, trillion, trillion (10^1728) years from now, all light bulbs will have failed anyhow, so we can just sit in the dark until then. he wanted a source for the “you’re already dead” line and I showed the line of reasoning that leads to that. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2020, 11:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-fight-nihilism/849561/89 "2020-03-31T11:22:49Z")
> [@Machinaforce](#): > > he wanted a source for the “you’re already dead” line and I showed the line of reasoning that leads to that. And my question to you remains: say, for a moment, that some hypothetical line of reasoning leads to the _reverse_ conclusion. Say, for the sake of argument, that we’re in a very different situation: one in which, a trillion trillion trillion years from now, there _would_ still be some living things thinking about stuff. What would change for you in that case? If it’d prompt you to say, _oh, if that were so, then there’d be meaning and importance in my life now,_ then I’d like to hear your reasoning; but if it’d prompt you to say _no, even then there’d be neither meaning nor importance,_ then what you’ve quoted seems irrelevant. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2020, 11:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-fight-nihilism/849561/90 "2020-03-31T11:42:13Z")
> [@Machinaforce](#): > > he wanted a source for the “you’re already dead” line and I showed the line of reasoning that leads to that. I think one of the causes of your depression and lack of interest in fiction is that it seems that you have no grasp whatsoever of “humor.” ---
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2020, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-fight-nihilism/849561/91 "2020-03-31T12:37:42Z")
_First of all reader, you must know that in “one trillion, trillion, trillion (10^1728) years from now the accelerating expansion of the universe will have disintegrated the fabric of matter itself, terminating the possibility of embodiment”._ Yes, but you’re not looking at the big picture. Sure, our universe in and of itself has no meaning. But, in the multiverse within which we live, time and space is infinite. In other words, what comes around goes around—somewhere, sometime. So, OP, chances are your exact configuration of particles will pop back into existence time and time again. Probably not in this universe, but in the various “brane” universes scattered all about. Each of those particle re-incarnations of you will be you. Your consciousness, your self consciousness, your memories…even your chronic case of constipation and your aversion to tomatoes will follow you forever (that’s even longer than til the end of time). I estimate that you will pop back into existence once every ~10^2000 years. So eat well and brush your teeth before you die, you’ve got a long wait between appearances. And, sure as shootin’, given the infinitiness of the situation, on some planet that you pop into existence far into the future, there will be a process of assessment and judgment of prior lives. You don’t want some future brane judge to say, “hey, I remember that guy from Earth 10^10,000 years ago! He didn’t believe life had any meaning and consequently lead a meaningless life. I sentence him re-live all of his lives, Groundhog-style, till he gets it right.” ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2020, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-fight-nihilism/849561/92 "2020-03-31T15:38:43Z")
The universe in its entirety is not here because of some prior causal event, since there is no “prior”. Hence the heat death of the universe some septillion-odd years from now doesn’t mean what that anonymously quoted person seems to think it means. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2020, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-fight-nihilism/849561/93 "2020-03-31T17:02:27Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > I think one of the causes of your depression and lack of interest in fiction is that it seems that you have no grasp whatsoever of “humor.” I’ve been wondering for some time if our dude is on the spectrum. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2020, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-fight-nihilism/849561/94 "2020-03-31T17:43:26Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > I’ve been wondering for some time if our dude is on the spectrum. From time to time, I’ve wondered: if someone _other_ than the OP — for the sake of argument, let’s say a Christian — wanted folks to pick at and denounce Buddhism, just how would he frame various ‘Buddhist’ tenets? Perhaps while billing himself as someone who, oh, gosh, sure does find the teachings ever-so-very compelling; only, gee willikers, for some head-scratchin’ reason, the stuff only ever seems to induce despair in him and leave him seeking something more? ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2020, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-fight-nihilism/849561/95 "2020-03-31T17:45:32Z")
To answer the OP – absolutely, you can fight Nihilism. All you need is an angry Vietnam vet armed with a bowling ball. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2020, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-fight-nihilism/849561/96 "2020-03-31T17:47:20Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > To answer the OP – absolutely, you can fight Nihilism. All you need is an angry Vietnam vet armed with a bowling ball. Threadwinner. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2020, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-fight-nihilism/849561/97 "2020-03-31T17:52:33Z")
Okay, now that that’s solved, on to the next question: can you fight Niles Crane? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-fight-nihilism/849561.md?page=4)