The Difference Between Existentialism, Nihilism, and Absurdism

Three different ways of approaching the lack of intrinsic meaning.

Created/Updated: November 17, 2020

For centuries there have been people who believe there is no intrinsic meaning in the universe. Here Ill summarize the three major branches of this belief, and how each proposes we deal with the situation.

How Absurdism Applies in Everyday Life

Intrinsic as opposed to created.

For those who come to accept that life is without intrinsic meaning, there are three main ways to react.

I view Camus Absurdism as the most satisfactory response, as it takes the third option of acceptance and works from there.

Free Wills Absurdist Paradox

Adopting a religion or some sort of nebulous spiritualityas someone who has accepted the truth of intrinsic meaninglessnessamounts to either intellectual laziness, emotional weakness, or some combination thereof. It is to say that the truth is too difficult to consume and accept, and that youve chosen to believe something untrue because it is easier.

To commit suicide is to turn ones back on the beauty that life has to offer, which I feel should only be explored in extreme cases.

Resigning to truly believe something you know isnt true is a weak position, but it often looks identical to Absurdism, which is not.

The Difference Between Nihilism, Pessimism, and Skepticism

Camus Absurdism is about working within our human limitations, but without abandoning our respect for ourselves or the truth. Absurdists often either adopt or construct a belief structure that provides a day-to-day reprieve from the crushing impossibility of true meaning. Such constructs allow us to trick our evolution-soaked brains into extracting meaning from the universe, while never forgetting that the system itself is a trick.

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Perhaps the Hipster drive to obsess over minutia is a form of Absurdism.

This awareness is the difference between rebellion and surrender.

A construct could be existing or new, and either structured or amorphous.

A person who has surrendered will say that they believe in their construct completely, and that it provides true meaning in the universe, while someone who has not surrendered may say theyve adopted a scaffolding for practical reasons, but they know its artificial.

The barrier is delicate between embracing a belief structure because not doing so is too empty or painful, and only doing so for practical purposes while still knowing its false. Many start as one or the other and then migrate, or exist day to day as one and become the other when pressed.

In my opinion, the defining characteristic of Absurdism/Rebellion is the maintaining of extreme clarity between seeking the benefits of belief in intrinsic meaning all the while knowing its impossible. Such a person can go to church with the family and mentally pray in some sort of secular but semi-spiritual way, while simultaneously knowing (but not actively thinking about) the fact that nobody is listening.

As humans, its virtually impossible to exist in both modes simultaneously. We either have faith in a system, a structure, or a person, or we deconstruct that thing into its parts and see its flaws, limitations, andperhapsthat its false. Transparency removes magic. And unfortunately, our brains are most happy when the magic is intact.

Knowing where one stands amongor perhaps outsidethese options is a crucial part of self-understanding.

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The Difference Between Existentialism, Nihilism, and Absurdism