The Impact of Nihilism

Klaus Jacobs
Contributing Writer

We’re all going to die. At least that's what many of us believe right? With climate change and the many viruses all coming to light, and the amount of care the government gives us is slim to none, you would think that this is the end for us. But, what if I told you that we are also contributors to this negativity that we feel in regards to these situations?

The “indomitable human spirit” is an ongoing online trend that appears on many social media platforms. The trend includes showing uplifting images while playing the song “Hope and Dreams” by Toby Fox from his hit game, Undertale. The trend shows that despite the cruelty of our universe and the world we live in, there is still hope for humans.

College students, or more specifically young adults, who are the future of this country, have a tendency of giving into the hopelessness of the world caving in around them. UMF student Christina Carr expressed how desensitized she is to massive world events happening due to the large abundance of bad news she receives on the daily, all from just opening their phone. “A massive world event,” Carr said, “would not affect me as much seeing as how desensitized I’ve been due to social media.”

The constant bad news on a daily basis weighs heavily on many young adults. Additionally, they feel as if there is no point in succeeding in studies or in the workforce if the future isn't guaranteed for us. However, this mindset is what is actually speeding up the process of nihilism embedded in our minds. Constant stress and bad news is all around and it all follows a fear mongering perspective. Good news rarely appears on the news anymore to keep many people in a constant state of hopelessness. Doom scrolling is something that many young adults have succumbed to early on in 2020 when the Covid-19 pandemic had kept us all in our homes and racial matters were at an all time high. All of social media had focused on the pandemic as well as showing various videos of black people being killed and injured. Despite all of the bad news happening and being documented in social media, many never put down their phones and just kept scrolling through the saddening news which increases the sorrow and depletion of many young adults’ mental health which increases trending nihilism. Not many received good news during this time and that has been an ongoing issue even until now. Many don’t know that the coral reef is actually reviving itself! Showing signs of being able to become better despite initial worry that our coral reef was doomed. This among an abundance of many other bad news we receive daily affect the mental health of the students and many other young adults in this world.

Another student who would like to remain anonymous relayed to me how the overwhelming abundance of bad news affects their mental health to the point of avoidance:

“The topic of mental health is something I truly avoid because I’d rather ignore how it has affected me directly and indirectly,” they said.

Avoidance is a coping strategy that has been used as a defense mechanism. To not engage with any of the bad news or bad emotions one may feel. Many young adults are guilty of this just to help many get through the day. Relying on avoidant strategies and engaging in doom scrolling genuinely impacts the psyche and mental health of young adults.

There is good news happening in this world. Climate Change is not irreversible and we are not doomed to succumb to what many think is the fate of our world. There is hope in this world and change can be done at any time. Starting with one person at a time, the future can be guaranteed. The cruelty of the universe cannot win against the indomitable human spirit.