JET73L
I'm debating with myself if this is actually an example or not. Some second opinions would be appreciated.
- This is how some functioning psychopaths work. Whereas some psychopaths' antisocial tendencies lead them to decide that since other people don't seem to matter, they ma as well break "people" for fun, some others take the opposite direction into this trope and decide that anything (or anyone) meaningless isn't worth screwing up and getting consequences, and so might as well be appreciated in non-destructive ways (if at all).
It's accurate, but it's controversial, and if it's not ''quite'' this trope in any way, the risk of controversy could be enough to put it on the 'not, erm... 'notable'' side of the 'add or don't? line. A more neutral (unbiased) or less neutral (un-cold) phrasing might be in order if it is determined to be worth mentioning.
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Reads and Thinks too much
Could there be an “Evil” version of The Anti-Nihilist that’s different from Straw Nihilist? A sort of enlightenment of the worst way? While a Straw Nihilist argues that nothing matters and we should give into despair and treat each other horribly, the Evil Anti-Nihilist accepts that nothing matters and doesn’t despair over it, but decides that their chosen purpose in life is to be, at best, self-serving or, at worst, happily malicious.
Like an Affably Evil or Faux Affably Evil spin on it, they accept they may not win or continue winning, yet so long as they can survive every end is just a new beginning to them and a new chance to succeed at Taking Over The World, being a Galactic Conquer, build a Utopia or Dystopia, etc. If they don’t survive then hey, they gave it a can do try.
Previous Trope Repair Shop thread: Misused
, started by Cosman246 on Sep 1st 2012 at 1:14:48 AM
If someone holds to ideals of happiness, kindness, and being "good" to people, such that they believe those ideals are not arbitrary (i.e., even if they don't believe these principles were handed down by by a deity, and that they are simply issues of practicality, they still believe the principles matter and cannot be ignored or inverted without undesirable consequences for people's lives), then how is that person a nihilist? Isn't believing in overarching abstract principles the opposite of nihilism?
Maybe the trope's name does make sense after all — because the anti-nihilist is not a nihilist. But that would seem to require changing the description.
Edited by HelloLamppost
The Trope Name is confusing, because it sounds like it means someone who rejects nihilism, rather than just meaning "a nihilist who is not depressed or a jerk." I mean, the Nihilist and the Anti-Nihilist should not *both* be nihilists. Might we consider renaming this? "Nice Nihilist," maybe?
For that matter, *is* there a trope for someone who explicitly rejects nihilism, and also is not a jerk? Or are we assuming that is too common a situation to be worthy of a trope?
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I know it's niche we are talking about. But isn't this pic JAFFAC ?
Make your hearth shine through the darkest night; let it transform hate into kindness, evil into justice, and loneliness into love. Hide / Show Replies
It's one of the founder's of existentialism it's hard too illustrate existentialism in an action. It'd say it be best to have one of it's creators as the picture.
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Imperial Court Mage
Is there like a trope for people becoming an Anti-Nihilist over the course of the story? Because I'm writing a story that basically starts out like an Emo Teen type protagonist, but over time they start to think "eh maybe being edgy is overrated even if the world is still f**ked up." I'm just curious
"Life's like a movie, write your own ending. Keep believing, keep pretending."-Jim Henson
This isn't anti-nihilism. It's against Nietzsche's conclusions about nihilism, but since it still argues that life doesn't have an objective meaning, it is still an example of nihilism. Since the Nietzsche Wannabe page was rewrote to cover nihilism in general, it's a bit redundant. Nihilism nihilism nihilism.
Edited by aagarrrr Hide / Show Replies
But then that's existentialism, which is another topic Nietzsche wrote heavily on, Hence the redirect link. Many Existentialist also believe in no objective meaning, at least no "true" objective meaning.
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Have to say it's a bit counter-intuitive to say that an anti-nihilist is a type of nihilist. But, whatever, the article itself makes sense.
The OP's objection is the same one I have. If the Straw Nihilist agrees with nihilism and is sad about it, and the "Anti" Nihilist *also* agrees with nihilism and is happy with it, don't we need a trope for soneone who *does not* accept nihilism?
The most recent post here is from 2012, and nothing seems to have been done to address the obvious problem.
Edited by HelloLamppost
So what exactly sets The Anti-Nihilist apart from the All-Loving Hero?
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The Anti-Nihilist is a nilhist that uses their nilhism as excuse to be nice. The All-Loving Hero is a heroic character that loves all.
Edited by MagBas
Is it possible for there to be a negative version of an Anti-Nihilist? (Example: a psychopath who decides that the best way to give this world meaning is to kill, maim, and torture)
Is it possible for there to be a deconstruction of an Anti-Nihilist? (Example: someone tries to maintain reasons to stay positive in the face of life having no ultimate meaning, yet those reasons ultimately betray them and leave them with no reason to believe in the good of life.)
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The Book of Ecclesiastes seems to fit this trope, in some places. However, the rule of cautious editting suggests it's not a good idea to add it, given that it's from The Bible which takes rather the opposite stance on the whole, and the 'anti-nihilist' interpretation is not one to be popular among Christians.
I'd say best to keep it off, but I thought I'd list it here if anyone else thinks it might be a good idea.
So a Pollyanna and an Anti-Nihilist decide to be nice to folks . . . for different reasons.
Edited by R.G.
I'm not sure that this would qualify as a "Knight of Faith". I just read this article and found out something: the Knight of Faith is really someone who both excepts the impossibility of something and the possibility of the same thing. Now this may sound like a Mind Screw mixed with a Logic Bomb, but if you read the article, you'll get what it says (and I think it might make an awesome idea for a hero).
I don't think it's all that wise to explain this as "more or less existentialism". Sure, existentialism also counts as a modern philosophical example, but not all anti-nihilists have to be typecast as existentialist-by-the-definition. Furthermore, I don't think anti-nihilists would be only different from more classic nihilists in only one feature.
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I also think someone's trying to shoehorn in exi'ism. They were doing this on UsefulNotes.Existentialism too.
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