Author: M. Farahi Tojegi
The Evolution of Nihilism and Its Opposition to Religious Faith (part 16)
The Absurd Nihilist View of the Human Being
Postmodern nihilism, after its emergence and dominance, has further actualized and revealed absurdity in the form of absurd nihilism. Gradually, absurd nihilism has become the dominant and primary expression of postmodern nihilism. From the late decades of the twentieth century onward, postmodern nihilism has largely appeared in this absurd form. Along with its dominance, it has also produced and spread a particular model of the human being: the absurd nihilist.
The absurd nihilist, as a personality type, has emerged in the final phase of the modern Western world, rooted in the broader model of the modern (bourgeois) individual. This type is shaped by a dual orientation of self-interest and illegitimate pleasure-seeking, and over time, it has become a dominant pattern in contemporary human personality.
Research suggests that within the human being there exists a kind of spiritual energy that seeks realization. However, when a person adopts a secular, humanistic, and non-religious model of life, this energy becomes confined, distorted, and suppressed. Its potential for growth and creativity is blocked, forcing it into lower levels of merely material and instinctive existence. As a result, this energy becomes restless, anxious, and even aggressive. Gradually, its movement takes on a destructive and self-destructive character, generating continuous inner conflict, tension, and instability. This condition manifests in a personality driven by futility, triviality, despair, and ultimately self-destruction—core features of absurdity.
Characteristics of the Absurd Nihilist Personality
-
A dominant personality type in the age of absurdity
The absurd nihilist represents a widespread personality type in the era of postmodern nihilism. It emerges as a variation of the broader bourgeois human model and becomes increasingly dominant as absurdity spreads.
-
Crisis of meaning and identity
This personality is marked by profound meaninglessness, identity crisis, and lack of ideals. It is trapped in trivial routines and lacks commitment, purpose, and a strong, coherent personality structure.
Its central features include:
-
existential anxiety and confusion
-
inner emptiness and indifference
-
absence of purpose and responsibility
To cope with this condition, individuals may turn to destructive behaviors such as excessive indulgence, substance abuse, or escapism.
-
Dominance of mediocrity
The age of absurd nihilism is essentially an age of mediocrity. In such a condition, shallow and aimless individuals become the dominant social model.
The absurd human is reduced to a low level of existence, focused only on basic material needs and instincts, without higher ideals or meaningful direction.
Mediocrity becomes normalized and even celebrated, replacing higher human values.
-
Existential depression
The absurd nihilist suffers from a deep form of existential depression, which goes beyond what is typically described in modern clinical psychology.
This condition arises from:
-
the loss of spiritual meaning
-
the suppression of inner growth
-
the inability to realize higher human potential
It becomes a foundational characteristic of the absurd personality.
-
Chronic existential anxiety
Another defining feature is persistent or chronic anxiety, whether explicit or hidden.
This anxiety, combined with depression, contributes to various psychological disorders studied in modern psychology and psychiatry. It prevents inner peace and blocks spiritual awareness, creating a continuous cycle of distress.
-
Sense of futility and inner dissatisfaction
The absurd human experiences a constant sense of:
-
futility
-
dissatisfaction
-
inner unrest and rebellion
