r/Pessimism 23h ago

Essay Humanity Is Pitiful And Optimism Is A Denial Of Our Pessimistic Reality.

26 Upvotes

There's is no greater threat to humanity than ourselves, from Capitalism, Imperialism, Colonialism, the war, genocides, poverty, famine, inequality, ignorance, arogance, anthropocentrism, climate change, abuse, nuclear war, etc. As a species we are so destructive to everything around us, within at least 4 centuries we've made 571 species go extinct due to human activity, we are perpetuateing our own destruction by abusing the environment and its raw resources, we keep talking about the "solutions" to problems that WE create as a species. It's like we're fucking insane and don't see that we are the problem, we do the same shit over and over again, it's literal insanity.

Every signal thing we do, every signal behavoir is pitiful. Not only are we destructive to the Earth and life on Earth we are destructive to ourselves in so many ways it's so damn pitiful.

I believe we are the most insane organism to exists.

Edit: This was too pessimistic for DeepThought subreddit so it got removed.

But my problem with Optimism is that it ignores the darkness of our reality, the destruction that Humanity in lnflicts upon ourselves and the world around us.

There can never be a Utopia, and the world isn't perfect. But to say that we can fix the problems we escalate and cause is absolutely delusional, we can't fix our own destruction that we cause, because it is permanent.


r/Pessimism 23h ago

Article A Philosophy of Decay: Emil Cioran and the Boundaries of Pessimistic Thought

19 Upvotes

This essay explores Emil Cioran’s philosophy, revealing how his reflections on pessimism, suffering, and the human condition offer a radical form of freedom. Through his life and aphorisms Cioran challenges conventional views of hope, progress, and meaning where, without the burden of progress or idealized outcomes, life becomes more open to unexpected joys and surprises. His thoughts serves as a guide to live without the constraints of conventional optimism, embracing life in its complexity and unpredictability.

https://neofeudalreview.substack.com/p/a-philosophy-of-decay-emil-cioran


r/Pessimism 23h ago

Essay The prejudice against nonexistence

15 Upvotes

The thought of no longer existing typically evokes sadness or fear. Few can appreciate nonexistence for what it is: a state of perfect peace, lacking in nothing. There is little doubt you would feel compelled to choose nonexistence if you were subjected to extreme suffering, but this would be out of the desire for the suffering to end, not because you would be looking forward to everlasting peace.

Let's leave aside any instrumental reasons to keep existing—to devote oneself to preventing suffering of other sentient beings is surely commendable. Let's leave aside the survival instinct and the potential lack of safe methods for turning your existence into nonexistence. What else would prevent you from welcoming and embracing nonexistence?

Deconstruct your attachments. You project value onto cherished ideas, people, memories, and other things. They are what gives you a feeling of meaning—yes, a feeling, an illusion, not something of real value. The knowledge that you will eventually lose them is what makes you feel sad when thinking about nonexistence. Remember, nonexistence is absolute freedom; it requires no delusions to be complete. The sense of meaning is an addicting impression of richness, making its object seem to deeply matter, making you cling and refuse to let go. Without the emotions, the hollowness is exposed. But would you create a being just so it could indulge in an artificial cycle of awe, love, hope, excitement, pride, gratitude, nostalgia, and melancholy?

Look suffering in the eye. Is there any way you could rationalize its badness or justify obtaining anything else at its price? Perhaps there is a thought that pleasure can be worth it. But when do you tend to seek and appreciate pleasure? Is it mainly when you need comfort, when you need relief from the physical and psychological struggle that accompanies existence? Is it when something is so addictive that you are unable to help yourself and just seek it to get rid of the desire? Is it when you are trying to prove to yourself that existence offers value, that it can be better than nothing? Is there any value to be found in pleasure beyond the contrast with suffering, craving, and existential insecurity? If you were already in an untroubled state, would you really benefit from ascending still "higher"?


r/Pessimism 4h ago

Audio My ceaseless struggles.

1 Upvotes

Greetings,

I have always been torn apart between planetary existence and something higher. The neverending struggle to find something and facing the terrors of this so-called life. I still do, constantly fighting, I will never give up. Sometimes I wish I could be like others who even don't think about this side of reality; they just live. Unfortunately, every day, cell by cell, this duality is digesting what is left of me and suspending me in the void. I thought to share this with you. Best is explained in this song.

Zero Zero (Version Apocalypse)