Nihilism is now a pervasive feature of Western society.  Friedrich Nietzsche gave us the formulation of nihilism that is now commonly accepted: a sentiment that nothing really matters, and that there is no point in life.  In the most extreme manifestations, life itself is considered worthless. Passive nihilism consists of simply withdrawing from life-affirming activities (this was Nietzsche’s verdict on Schopenhauer’s pessimistic philosophy).  It is demonstrated in the hopelessness and despair of those seemingly condemned to a life constrained by adverse circumstances or their own lack of imagination or resourcefulness.  Some go further than resignation -- for example, the slow suicide of opioid addicts attests to the life-denying motivations of passive nihilism.  Active nihilism – Nietzsche’s own contribution to the philosophy of nihilism – consists of seeking the destruction of what is viewed as being worthless. Contested...(Read Full Article)