GENIUS FORUMS

Trevor Salyzyn wrote:It has to prevail in the minds of specific people, or else it may as well not exist at all. My "makework project" is a concerted attempt to get you to attack specific people's shortcomings, instead of some foul vapour you believe is permeating the air.

If you say "most people here are nihilists", that means that more than 50% of the people here have a specific mindset. Since there are so few of us here, you should easily be able to name them, and then allow each to defend himself in turn. If you aren't willing to do such a simple task, then I have no reason to believe you.

I know for a fact that I'm not a nihilist by your definition: by itself, that means that there are at least two people who are. Who are they?

One is your momma.


Humor aside, if I was wrong you wouldn't be so "in a tizzy" about it.

Please don't assume that I've made decisions that I haven't made, or that I'm having emotions that I'm not having.

I haven't decided whether you are wrong or right yet, and I'm not particularly worried either way. As I said, I only speak for myself. I have no idea whether or not anyone else is a nihilist: you are making a claim that hadn't even crossed my mind until you brought it up. Someone else's nihilism does not seem so pressing an issue that I ever even think about it (maybe simply because ethics is not my forte).

However, I am making what should be a completely reasonable request: provide evidence to back up your claim. It will make me take your complaint more seriously.

Also, I am curious: what would be wrong were most members nihilists? Why would it be a cause for concern? Why is it worse than most members not being nihilists?

DHodges wrote:

The rejection of inherent existence can look like nihilism to those that believe in inherent existence, [snip]

Spot on, you wonderful existing thing, you.

.

Milli wrote: if I was wrong you wouldn't be so "in a tizzy" about it.

This is the sort game Kowtaaia liked to play. When backed into a corner - - the generic fellow defends himself by accusing the inquirer of getting 'upset, hostile or 'in a tizzy'.

In actuality - the comments and requests directed were actually even tempered, reasonable.

Cory Duchesne wrote:

Milli wrote: if I was wrong you wouldn't be so "in a tizzy" about it.

This is the sort game Kowtaaia liked to play. When backed into a corner - - the generic fellow defends himself by accusing the inquirer of getting 'upset, hostile or 'in a tizzy'.

In actuality - the comments and requests directed were actually even tempered, reasonable.

And in abject denial of the "truth" which is espoused here: nihilism. and when you NIHILISTS are backed into a corner, you start to deconstruct words, which is another form of nihilism. It's great because it proves me even more right.

I know. I know. "What is 'right'?" "What is 'is'?" As deep as a puddle, and twice as murky.

Milli, I'm trying to be both fair and thorough here. It appears that you've been talking about the nihilism of Genius Forum for a while now, and I want to see if there's any substance to this claim.

I've already given you a model of the sort of evidence you need to provide. It should be a minimum requirement that you be able to name specific nihilists and what particular beliefs they espouse that are nihilistic. So far you've complained about a "dominant meme", which is an abstract entity that I can't directly comprehend or even influence -- I can't determine whether that's a valid claim, unless the meme manifests itself visibly in a person.

Also, you have indirectly said that I have been backed into a corner, and am some sort of word-deconstructionist. Could you please use my name next time you describe an action I perform? Because, I mean...

when you NIHILISTS are backed into a corner, you start to deconstruct words, which is another form of nihilism.

...when applied to me, this translates to: when a PHILOSOPHER such as TREVOR is confused ("backed into a corner"), he checks the definitions of words to make sure the confusion isn't caused by something really basic, which is a simple act of trouble-shooting (like checking that all the cords are plugged in on a computer).

(I can see why you were afraid of using my name, since you'd have to admit that I'm a person doing a clear task.)

It's great because it proves me even more right.

You have barely begun the process of proof. You pulled some definitions out of a dictionary, and so far two people have said that they don't apply to them.

You still have to show that your definition applies to at least 2 people, and THEN you have a bit of credibility. After that, you will have to explain why this nihilism should worry anyone.

Trevor Salyzyn wrote:You have barely begun the process of proof. You pulled some definitions out of a dictionary, and so far two people have said that they don't apply to them.

Make it 3 - I just didn't want to do milli's homework for him. I am not a nihilist.

millipodium wrote:ni·hil·ism (nī'ə-lĭz'əm, nē'-) Pronunciation Key
n.
Philosophy
An extreme form of skepticism that denies all existence.
A doctrine holding that all values are baseless and that nothing can be known or communicated.
Rejection of all distinctions in moral or religious value and a willingness to repudiate all previous theories of morality or religious belief.
The belief that destruction of existing political or social institutions is necessary for future improvement.
also Nihilism A diffuse, revolutionary movement of mid 19th-century Russia that scorned authority and tradition and believed in reason, materialism, and radical change in society and government through terrorism and assassination.
Psychiatry A delusion, experienced in some mental disorders, that the world or one's mind, body, or self does not exist.

These are not my beliefs, therefore I am not a nihilist.

Carl G wrote:

millipodium wrote:ni·hil·ism (nī'ə-lĭz'əm, nē'-) Pronunciation Key
n.
Philosophy
An extreme form of skepticism that denies all existence.
A doctrine holding that all values are baseless and that nothing can be known or communicated.
Rejection of all distinctions in moral or religious value and a willingness to repudiate all previous theories of morality or religious belief.
The belief that destruction of existing political or social institutions is necessary for future improvement.
also Nihilism A diffuse, revolutionary movement of mid 19th-century Russia that scorned authority and tradition and believed in reason, materialism, and radical change in society and government through terrorism and assassination.
Psychiatry A delusion, experienced in some mental disorders, that the world or one's mind, body, or self does not exist.

These are not my beliefs, therefore I am not a nihilist.

I'll be the judge of that.

milli,

I'll be the judge of that.

Both of you obviously must make your own judgements, but I see no reason to choose your opinion over Carl G's. He's obviously much closer to his beliefs than you, so you're at a disadvantage: you pretty much have to convince him that he's a nihilist. If you want to sway Carl G's opinion about what his beliefs entail, you'll probably want to begin by explaining your reasoning in full (as in, using more than one-liners).

Since I'm not Elizabeth, I'll start your homework off for you.

For starters, you'll need to know exactly what his beliefs about key topics are. Second, you'll need to know what the corresponding beliefs would be for a nihilist. Third, after you have made the comparison, and this is the douzy, you'll need to explain why anyone should care. Why should I care if Carl G is a nihilist?

Trevor Salyzyn wrote:milli,

I'll be the judge of that.

Both of you obviously must make your own judgements, but I see no reason to choose your opinion over Carl G's. He's obviously much closer to his beliefs than you, so you're at a disadvantage: you pretty much have to convince him that he's a nihilist. If you want to sway Carl G's opinion about what his beliefs entail, you'll probably want to begin by explaining your reasoning in full (as in, using more than one-liners).

Since I'm not Elizabeth, I'll start your homework off for you.

For starters, you'll need to know exactly what his beliefs about key topics are. Second, you'll need to know what the corresponding beliefs would be for a nihilist. Third, after you have made the comparison, and this is the douzy, you'll need to explain why anyone should care. Why should I care if Carl G is a nihilist?

All in due time, trevor, my lad.

You should care because nihilists will fall for anything and commit any atrocity, absolving themselves of responsibility with word games, and ideational garbage.

Still inside my head...

Every day I encounter a bunch of strangers who act like they know me.

It's odd waking up each and every day interacting with people who I feel like I haven't made a real connection with in years. All the people I used to know so well have become strangers, strangers that act like family and friends would. I wonder if they ever see me as a stranger.

In your original post you wrote:

Nick Treklis wrote:And just like the character Kevin McCalister said in the movie "Home Alone", sometimes I wish I woke up and I had no friends or family. Just coincidence that we both had these thoughts around Christmas time, or something else?

It sounds like you are getting your Christmas wish.

For most of my life, I very much so wanted to be understood, and found being misunderstood worse than not being understood at all. Even when I did not feel like I existed, even when I recognized all beings as merely animated corpses, it still mattered because truth was still real.

At this moment it does not matter to me. I really feel that none of us exist, so what use is the truth if there is no one to know it? There is no one to know or to be known by.

Elizabeth Isabelle wrote:It sounds like you are getting your Christmas wish.

I don't have a "Christmas wish".

Elizabeth Isabelle wrote:For most of my life, I very much so wanted to be understood, and found being misunderstood worse than not being understood at all. Even when I did not feel like I existed, even when I recognized all beings as merely animated corpses, it still mattered because truth was still real.

At this moment it does not matter to me. I really feel that none of us exist, so what use is the truth if there is no one to know it? There is no one to know or to be known by.

I'm not all too concerned about that fact that people don't understand me or connect with me, although they sometimes think they do. It's just strange how I see so many people as strangers, yet they still see me as a friend or something else more intimate.

Nick Treklis wrote:

Elizabeth Isabelle wrote:It sounds like you are getting your Christmas wish.

I don't have a "Christmas wish".

Nick Treklis wrote:sometimes I wish I woke up and I had no friends or family.

Hmmm. Okay.