- Joined
- Mar 19, 2022
- Messages
- 2,974
- Reaction score
- 26,097
NIHILISM as a worldview
"The rise in ideological nihilism – or the absolute embrace of apocalyptic thinking and what is often referred to online as ‘doomerism’ – has come hand in hand with the rapid emergence of dozens if not hundreds of online antisocial subcultures which actively promote the aesthetic of nihilism and violence. The proliferation of these subcultures is by no means a new phenomenon, however, the process has rapidly accelerated as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The increased time spent online by many young people in particular during the initial stages of the crisis, combined with the social isolation brought about by the associated lockdowns and school closures drove some users to darker corners of social media and the internet more broadly, where they often found burgeoning niche communities eager to accept them.
"The vast majority of these subcultures and online communities are by their very nature benign and nonviolent, however, the inherently antisocial and nihilistic subsect has grown significantly, likely encouraged by the political turmoil, social upheaval, and general apocalypticism of the past two years. Within the ideologically nihilistic online space, disconnection and broad discontent with society is central to the worldview, and active rebellion against society in one form or another is often encouraged."
