Word: nihilism (noun)

Associations

Nihilism is a philosophy or belief that life has no meaning, purpose, or value. It often relates to rejecting traditional beliefs, morals, or social structures.

• In philosophy, nihilism means believing that nothing really matters or exists in a meaningful way.
• In everyday conversation, someone might say "He has a nihilistic view of life," meaning that person thinks life is pointless.
• In literature or movies, a character showing nihilism might act without morals or hope because they believe nothing matters.

A well-known related word is "skepticism," which means doubting or questioning, but skepticism does not reject all meaning or value like nihilism does. Nihilism is more extreme in denying meaning or truth.

Substitution

Instead of "nihilism," you could say:

• "meaninglessness" — focuses on the lack of meaning but is less about a full belief system.
• "pessimism" — expecting bad outcomes but not necessarily denying all meaning.
• "existential despair" — feeling hopeless about life's purpose, similar but more emotional than philosophical.

Using these changes the tone: nihilism is more about rejecting beliefs, while the others focus on feelings or doubts.

Deconstruction

The word "nihilism" comes from Latin:

• "nihil" means "nothing."
• The suffix "-ism" means a belief or system. So, nihilism literally means "the belief in nothing."

Historically, nihilism became popular in the 19th century, especially in Russia and Europe, as a reaction against traditional social and moral values.

Inquiry

• Can you think of a situation where someone might feel nihilistic?
• How is nihilism different from just feeling sad or hopeless sometimes?
• Do you know any books or movies where characters show nihilism? How does it affect their actions?
• How would you explain nihilism to a friend who has never heard the word before?