This list is for todays avid postmodernist, deconstructist, anarchist, nietzschean, and general fans of the odd and curious. In short, the books I am going to recommend are for (as the title suggests), today's armchair nihilist.
Just to get the definition out of way, here is how nihilism is being referred to for the purpose of this book list.
"Nihilism (from the Latin nihil, nothing) is a philosophical position that argues that existence is without objective meaning, purpose, or intrinsic value. Nihilists generally assert that objective morality does not exist, so subsequently there is no objective moral value with which to logically prefer one action over another. Nihilists who argue that there is no objective morality may claim that existence has no intrinsic higher meaning or goal. They may also claim that there is no reasonable proof or argument for the existence of a higher ruler or creator, or posit that even if higher rulers or creators exist, humanity has no moral obligation to worship them."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nihilism
^Now, that may sound depressing, but need not be as some of the tales below will show. Just to warn you know however, there may be some plot spoilers, and this isn't a comprehensive list of nihilistly themed texts.
Daybreak: Reflections on Moral Prejudices (Philosophy), by Fredrich Nietzsche
"Whoever has overthrown an existing law of custom has always first been accounted a bad man: but when, as did happen, the law could not afterwards be reinstated and this fact was accepted, the predicate gradually changed; history treats almost exclusively of these bad men who subsequently became good men!" Daybreak.
A little thought behind why social conventions don't make sense, and should be destroyed will be our starting point. This fun book deals with dismantling (relatively) contemporary christian-western morality. Although some of Nietzsche's later works contain much more precise, and elaborate arguements that shatters the societal myths of nationalism, morality, ideology, and organized religion, I personally think this book is much more digestable as many of the arguements are only about a paragraph in length.
To be honest, Nietzsche's philosophy is not nihilism per-say, but his method does involve a trek through nihilism (as mentioned in Twilight of the Idols, and Thus Spoke Zarathustra), meaning he actively destroys traditional concepts mentioned above, as well as other popular ones such as love, charity, and equality.
A word of warning however. Nietzsche employs a "balls-to-wall" style of arguementation which is both very confrontational, and extremly blunt. He can be very offensive to some, as to use an anachronism, he's basically a german speaking Doctor House.
The Trial (Novel), By Franz Kafka
"The right understanding of any matter and a misunderstanding of the same matter do not wholly exclude each other." -Kafka
1984 (Novel), George Orwell
We know that no one ever seizes power with the intention of relinquishing it. Power is not a means; it is an end. One does not establish a dictatorship in order to safeguard a revolution; one makes the revolution in order to establish the dictatorship. The object of persecution is persecution. The object of torture is torture. The object of power is power.
Dirty Hands (Play), Jean-Paul Sartre
A Clockwork Orange (Novel), by Anthony Burgess
Accidental Death of an Anarchist (Play), by Dario Fo
A Scanner Darkly (Novel), by Philip K. Dick
Most stories (Short stories/novel), by H.P Lovecraft
Teatro Grottesco (collection of short stories), by Thomas Ligotti
Watchmen (Graphic Novel), by Alan Moore
Fight Club (Novel), by Chuck Palahniuk
Incest (Novel), by Marquis De Sade
>>>>Will finish tomorrow.
Just to get the definition out of way, here is how nihilism is being referred to for the purpose of this book list.
"Nihilism (from the Latin nihil, nothing) is a philosophical position that argues that existence is without objective meaning, purpose, or intrinsic value. Nihilists generally assert that objective morality does not exist, so subsequently there is no objective moral value with which to logically prefer one action over another. Nihilists who argue that there is no objective morality may claim that existence has no intrinsic higher meaning or goal. They may also claim that there is no reasonable proof or argument for the existence of a higher ruler or creator, or posit that even if higher rulers or creators exist, humanity has no moral obligation to worship them."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nihilism
^Now, that may sound depressing, but need not be as some of the tales below will show. Just to warn you know however, there may be some plot spoilers, and this isn't a comprehensive list of nihilistly themed texts.
Daybreak: Reflections on Moral Prejudices (Philosophy), by Fredrich Nietzsche
"Whoever has overthrown an existing law of custom has always first been accounted a bad man: but when, as did happen, the law could not afterwards be reinstated and this fact was accepted, the predicate gradually changed; history treats almost exclusively of these bad men who subsequently became good men!" Daybreak.
A little thought behind why social conventions don't make sense, and should be destroyed will be our starting point. This fun book deals with dismantling (relatively) contemporary christian-western morality. Although some of Nietzsche's later works contain much more precise, and elaborate arguements that shatters the societal myths of nationalism, morality, ideology, and organized religion, I personally think this book is much more digestable as many of the arguements are only about a paragraph in length.
To be honest, Nietzsche's philosophy is not nihilism per-say, but his method does involve a trek through nihilism (as mentioned in Twilight of the Idols, and Thus Spoke Zarathustra), meaning he actively destroys traditional concepts mentioned above, as well as other popular ones such as love, charity, and equality.
A word of warning however. Nietzsche employs a "balls-to-wall" style of arguementation which is both very confrontational, and extremly blunt. He can be very offensive to some, as to use an anachronism, he's basically a german speaking Doctor House.
The Trial (Novel), By Franz Kafka
"The right understanding of any matter and a misunderstanding of the same matter do not wholly exclude each other." -Kafka
1984 (Novel), George Orwell
We know that no one ever seizes power with the intention of relinquishing it. Power is not a means; it is an end. One does not establish a dictatorship in order to safeguard a revolution; one makes the revolution in order to establish the dictatorship. The object of persecution is persecution. The object of torture is torture. The object of power is power.
Dirty Hands (Play), Jean-Paul Sartre
A Clockwork Orange (Novel), by Anthony Burgess
Accidental Death of an Anarchist (Play), by Dario Fo
A Scanner Darkly (Novel), by Philip K. Dick
Most stories (Short stories/novel), by H.P Lovecraft
Teatro Grottesco (collection of short stories), by Thomas Ligotti
Watchmen (Graphic Novel), by Alan Moore
Fight Club (Novel), by Chuck Palahniuk
Incest (Novel), by Marquis De Sade
>>>>Will finish tomorrow.
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