Recommend some good books relating to Existential Philosophy

[Tom]

It's the illusion of meaning, passion, purpose that drives people.


African slaves worked day and night without pay because they believed they were going to be paid in the afterlife. If they were nihilistic atheist they all would have probably systematically pulled a Nat Turner and said to hell with this slave shyt.


Over Analyzing things tends leads to depression though.

From a political perspective I can certainly understand why Nihilism is seen as threatening though. It basically forces people to confront things that they rather not deal with. A potential collapse of society, tradition and everything we hold sacred.


shyt is dangerous

Plus....Ignorant bliss >>>>>

 

[Tom]

Tom said "embrace that existence is totally meaningless". Living from that point of perception, one is dead while he lives.

but I do agree with what you said.Things [of themselves] have no meaning and they are void and lifeless. Which is why belief is very important.

Because emotion and meaning comes from what is within. What is within is shaped by your beliefs and principles. Which is something every man has whether he played an active role in shaping that or not.

Tom said embrace the possibility that existence is totally meaningless.


Don't completely rule it out simply because its more comfortable for you, gives you "purpose" and makes you feel better.

Belief is fine, just don't be blinded by it.

Existence is a journey brehs.

 

[jfkennedy]

I fell into a Nihilistic mode of thought a few years ago when I had a number of tragic losses in my life. I read somewhere that with Nihilism " When you ain't got nothing , you ain't got nothing to gain." A feeling of nothingness is one thing , but when you feel as if there is nothing to gain , and life has no meaning ,that's when shyt gets serious.

"Nihilism is not only despair and negation, but above all the desire to despair and to negate." - Albert Camus

 

[colony]

 

[Tom]

"Nihilism is not only despair and negation, but above all the desire to despair and to negate." - Albert Camus

Nihilism is many different things to many different people.

Ask 100 people about Nihilism and you'll get 100 different answers.

That's one thing I've learned from reading the book in the OP and viewing some of the replies in this thread

 

[jfkennedy]

Nihilism is many different things to many different people.

Ask 100 people about Nihilism and you'll get 100 different answers.

That's one thing I've learned from reading the book in the OP and viewing some of the replies in this thread

I was just speaking in relation to him being in a dark place. The quote kind of fit and came to me when I read what he said.

Kind of interested in reading that book though. Briefly read about existentialism after a Philosophy class since it was the main school that actually intrigued me.

 

[SwagmundFreud]

Great thread

 

[The Lord Doc]

Tom said "embrace that existence is totally meaningless". Living from that point of perception, one is dead while he lives.

but I do agree with what you said.Things [of themselves] have no meaning and they are void and lifeless. Which is why belief is very important.

Because emotion and meaning comes from what is within. What is within is shaped by your beliefs and principles. Which is something every man has whether he played an active role in shaping that or not.

You come off as a Theistic Existentialist. If I'm correct in my assumption, then I am somewhat amazed at the number of yo guys I'm encountering nowadays.

Despite the thread title, Tom seems to be more of an advocate of Nihilism than Existentialism (correct me if I'm wrong, Tom). Nihilism, as I understand it, being the complete negation of meaning, purpose, truth, or value both objectively and subjectively.

Personally, I don't believe that anyone or anything has inherent meaning, purpose, or value, but I believe that we can ascribe those things through exercising our wills both as individuals and collectives. Though where you and I differ is on the notion of "belief". If you are referring to some sort of higher power or consciousness, then I believe that our freedom comes from such an entity either being indifferent to our existence or nonexistent.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

The stranger

Changed my life

 

[Broke Wave]

The stranger

Changed my life

Canadian highschool

 

[SonofaGod]

Though where you and I differ is on the notion of "belief". If you are referring to some sort of higher power or consciousness, then I believe that our freedom comes from such an entity either being indifferent to our existence or nonexistent.

By belief i am referring to ones perception of the world and the meanings we associate with them. Whether it be that rock is a monkey, or a belief in a higher power.

the average man walking around on autopilot has his perception of the world based upon popular opinion and what society insists upon him. Which is why when a fad comes out it spreads as a virus, yet they insist it was their own personal choice.

Sure it was but they only reason you subscribed to the fad is cause your whole [flawed] existence is programmed to accept what the outside pushes upon you.


In all what im trying to say is that the course and quality of ones life is based primarily upon his perception of the world from within, and it is very important to consciously develop. A plant is nothingness, and a man is just empty walking flesh and blood until we impose our inner being or beliefs upon them, now they are truly alive. Believing an empty premise of life, leads to empty means, and eventually to emptyness at the last.

 

[Yinny]

The stranger

Changed my life

I was about to suggest Camus.

Le Petit Prince too

 

[Mask and Da Glock]

I can't stress it enough, DOSTOEVSKY. Of course you can go for the obvious though but fukk that noise. Russian Literature is the best and I'll fight that to the death. It's not speaking on the subject, it's just the major theme in all his novels along with the crushing disease of being self-aware.


Notes From Underground seems perfect for you, it's only like 90 pages too (i think).

 

[Last Dayze]

The Myth Of Sisyphus is a great book,much better then the Stranger(the book by Camus that most idiots recommend) eye co-sign that joint

and its a tough read but its worth trying to decipher Thus Spoke Zarathustra..

 

[Last Dayze]

Embrace the very real possibility that your existence is totally meaningless brehs. You're just a biological specimen whose only real purpose is to reproduce, and then you die, like every other living thing on earth. Thus is life



Life is good




If you completely ignore the emotional and physical day to day suffering, and the inevitable loss of every single person you know and love

word,in my opinion if you wanna consider yourself a true well rounded intellectual you have to give consideration to all trains of thought if you want the next man to take yours Siriusly..

the Gemini in me has that existential hood mindstate down to a tee,cause when eye look outside eye see nothing changing for the better,it only gets worse and now that the country is on that undeniable path as well you just feel like that light at the end of the tunnel is an illusion,shyt's galaxies away..

then the other side of me knows metaphysics and the fact that we literally change every day on a molecular level,we're constantly and consistently shedding&re formatting cells every day,a lot of the universe's power has to be tapped into willingly,shyt's not just gonna wash over you passively by prayer,you have to chase and want something with every fiber of your being,i've had prayers answered&felt the creator's presence personally so..

you just gotta find your own personal equilibrium,don't let family,friends,or society dictate your balance,they are just more weights on the scale,they're naught on a different scale..