Which particular philosophers or movements are originally responsible for the pervasive relativism and skepticism in Western society? How did people become so afraid of holding convictions and being certain?
In my philosophy classes, doubt and proving the unsoundness of arguments and theories seems MUCH more common than actually affirming them. Books, TV shows and movies such as "The Matrix" draw from Descartes' "Evil Deceiver" hypothesis to make people wonder if the external world is just a dream, virtual reality, or the deception of a demon. People doubt that morality and ethics have any more basis than mere convention, opinion and rules. Phrases such as "There's no black or white," "everything is relative," "That's just your opinion," and "don't be so dogmatic," abound as unquestioned platitudes. Worst of all, existentialist and nihilistic "literature" (which high schools force fed me and other students) such as "Slaughterhouse Five," "Grendel," "The Catcher in the Rye," "Fight Club," and "Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead" teach youths to think that if there is an external world, it's really just an inexplicable, irrational horror in which they have no hope of finding happiness or meaning, and, in any case, being happy is a sign of cowardly evasion from the cold, hard truth.
All of this seems to habituate people to doubt everything and believe nothing. I think this is a shame, because the few things I am absolutely certain about give me a great sense of security and a direction, and I'm much happier as an absolutist than as the relativist/solipsist I used to be. I feel like the only thing that saves many people is that when matters are urgent, they often behave as if there are absolutes (not many people behave like relativists or solipsists when someone asks them to put their hand on a hot stove or mouth off to their boss). Still, I think relativism saps people of much potential happiness.
Anyhow, to return to my question, which philosophers or movements are responsible for this pervasive relativism and skepticism? How did people become so afraid of having convictions and certainty?
In my philosophy classes, doubt and proving the unsoundness of arguments and theories seems MUCH more common than actually affirming them. Books, TV shows and movies such as "The Matrix" draw from Descartes' "Evil Deceiver" hypothesis to make people wonder if the external world is just a dream, virtual reality, or the deception of a demon. People doubt that morality and ethics have any more basis than mere convention, opinion and rules. Phrases such as "There's no black or white," "everything is relative," "That's just your opinion," and "don't be so dogmatic," abound as unquestioned platitudes. Worst of all, existentialist and nihilistic "literature" (which high schools force fed me and other students) such as "Slaughterhouse Five," "Grendel," "The Catcher in the Rye," "Fight Club," and "Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead" teach youths to think that if there is an external world, it's really just an inexplicable, irrational horror in which they have no hope of finding happiness or meaning, and, in any case, being happy is a sign of cowardly evasion from the cold, hard truth.
All of this seems to habituate people to doubt everything and believe nothing. I think this is a shame, because the few things I am absolutely certain about give me a great sense of security and a direction, and I'm much happier as an absolutist than as the relativist/solipsist I used to be. I feel like the only thing that saves many people is that when matters are urgent, they often behave as if there are absolutes (not many people behave like relativists or solipsists when someone asks them to put their hand on a hot stove or mouth off to their boss). Still, I think relativism saps people of much potential happiness.
Anyhow, to return to my question, which philosophers or movements are responsible for this pervasive relativism and skepticism? How did people become so afraid of having convictions and certainty?