Does a pessimistic philosophy exist?

[leanwimp67]

I know there is very pessimistic views on philosophy but, whenever I looking into this topic. Suffering looks like a positive thing, something necessary to achieve a good thing.I was wondering if there's actually a philosophy that treats life as the worst thing ever. Not nihilism, because if there is nothing there is also no suffering. I want a philosophy that actually is the worst of the worst

 

[leavingsoon99]

Misanthropy is a sort of "worst of the worst". It looks at the worst in humanity, not so much life itself. Humans, particularly in this society, tend to think highly of life. They think you should take it any way it comes. And you should take it AS-IS. I don't share that thought. But, that's just how this simulation seems to be programmed. There are even people on this site (IN THE SUICIDE PART OF IT) who try and push hope and sunshine. And with good reason, because some people on here really DON'T want to die and should probably be in the Recovery part of the site. I guess you can call being realistic a sort of pessimistic philosophy. Because, the reality of the human world IS bleak. It's disordered not to acknowledge that fact. Sure, earth is pretty and there are some nice things that happen in life. But look at the massive imbalance between good and evil in this world.

I personally think very little of Nihilism. It's more mental circle jerk than anything else. But, that's just MY OWN opinion.

 

[Shivali]

Good question but the answer I don't know ...

 

[Valky]

Oh my, I know just the right person to talk about this @MelancholyMagic

 

[Linda]

I know there is very pessimistic views on philosophy but, whenever I looking into this topic. Suffering looks like a positive thing, something necessary to achieve a good thing.I was wondering if there's actually a philosophy that treats life as the worst thing ever. Not nihilism, because if there is nothing there is also no suffering. I want a philosophy that actually is the worst of the worst

I imagine that any philosopher who considers life to be "the worst thing ever" wouldn't remain in this world long enough to write books about it. So I doubt that you will find a coherent philosophy of the kind you describe.

 

[Worndown]

You mean...people suck and will do whatever is needed to make themselves happy or improve their situation?
Fortunately not everyone is like that. Unfortunately they are not in control.

 

[MelancholyMagic]

It is best to start with the German pessimists, namely Schopenhauer, von Hartmann, Mainländer, and Bahnsen. Schopenhauer and von Hartmann both have their chief work translated into English, but no such luck yet for Mainländer or Bahnsen. If you'd like to read an overview of German pessimist philosophy and don't read German, a great place to start is Beiser's Weltschmerz: Pessimism In German Philosophy.

While none of these philosophers denounce suicide, they also do not explicitly advise it. As to why, I'll leave you these words from James Thomson (a Scotsman):

I call special attention to the fact that it is only our universal suicide which would prove a panacea for all the ills our flesh is heir to; individual suicides can do little or no good, save to the individuals themselves. Thus true philosophers may rationally and generously deny themselves the luxury of self-murder, because their death must leave the human average still worse than it is ; and, besides, death's coming is so certain and (at farthest) so near, that it is scarcely worth while to put one's self out of breath hastening to meet him.

 

[kitch]

I feel bad that I know about this guy , and even worse that I am referencing him ... although I am of the opinion that it is philosophically praise worthy to embrace the most pessimistic possibility in order to make some positive traction to counter act the negatives , if that makes sense.

This guy certainly cannot be accused of "toxic positivity" ...

Peter Wessel Zapffe - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[FuneralCry]

To me what is viewed as "pessimism" is just having awareness of the reality of existing and not being blinded by delusions, I do agree with the philosophy of promortalism, as I believe that it's always preferable to cease existing and that in general death is a positive thing as it removes the ultimate cause of all suffering which is life in itself, I see life as nothing more than an unnecessary harm. Efilism is the belief that life was a mistake and that it would be better off if there was nothing instead of something, as life is an unnecessary and tragic consequence of evolution that has caused unimaginable amounts of torture to existing beings all throughout history.

And of course Antinatalism is the belief that the human species should go voluntarily extinct through life no longer being brought here, antinatalism views procreation as a harm so therefore it could never be beneficial to bring life here, it's always better to never have been. Pro-natalists lack compassion, they are selfish and deluded in order to create unnecessary needs and problems through forcing the burden that is life onto existing beings, these philosophies are anti-suffering, they are not the worst of anything. And I just think these philosophies emphasise that not existing truly is the ideal state, free from the prison that is consciousness. To exist means to be a slave, we are slaves to suffering, slaves to our decaying flesh prison, and I certainly believe that to not exist is the ultimate solution to this unnecessary problem.

 

[unnormal9]

To me what is viewed as "pessimism" is just having awareness of the reality of existing and not being blinded by delusions

How shrouded is your mirror?

 

[SexyIncél]

There's pro-mortalism. They'd push the Red Button and destroy the universe (or at least the world). Because life is a horror show where many animals must rip others apart every few days -- or die of hunger. Probably based on negative utilitarianism

There's also philosophies that nearly maximize suffering. Consider a society that cures death, but turns its population into immortal drones unable to commit suicide. Maybe its philosophies are still unnamed. Maybe some dark enlightenment philosopher wrote something about it

Not nihilism, because if there is nothing there is also no suffering.

You might like abSurDiSm!

btw it helps to tactically use philosophical frameworks. Each has a sweetspot where its concepts apply well. Drop them when not useful. So you don't become an ideologue. We may find situations where nihilism's a useful mindset

 

[todienomore]

Thomas Ligotti - The Conspiracy Against the Human Race

Library Genesis

Library Genesis is a scientific community targeting collection of books on natural science disciplines and engineering.

libgen.rs

Emil Cioran

Library Genesis

Library Genesis is a scientific community targeting collection of books on natural science disciplines and engineering.

libgen.rs

 

[howl pendragon]

I know there is very pessimistic views on philosophy but, whenever I looking into this topic. Suffering looks like a positive thing, something necessary to achieve a good thing.I was wondering if there's actually a philosophy that treats life as the worst thing ever. Not nihilism, because if there is nothing there is also no suffering. I want a philosophy that actually is the worst of the worst

The main philosophical ideologies on this topic are mentioned in a post here on SaSu itself, "A brief introduction to Sanctioned Suicide." Also, there are many philosophies, ideas and religious systems that can deal with the subject, either for or against the view of existence as a source of suffering, especially considering that for the human mind, death is the greatest and last mystery. To simplify, we can say that there are two "main" ways of separating (not absolutely) the subject:

- The first is to treat all forms of existence as suffering.

Antinatalism: A philosophy that assigns negative value to existence; suggesting it contains more suffering than pleasure, and is imposed upon the individual without their consent.

Nihilism: A philosophy that views all life as meaningless.

Here, as mentioned above, we could include Absurdism: A philosophy that views existence in general is absurd, meaning that the world lacks meaning or a higher purpose and is not fully intelligible by reason.

- The second, would be considering a difference between mortal/material world and spiritual worlds.

Promortalism: A philosophy that assigns a positive value to death, by suggesting that the lack of desires that comes with it is a viable solution to our earthly problems.

Libertarianism: The belief that the individual is the owner of their body and has the right to dispose of it however they see fit.

Here, I can add a religious POV:

Gnosticism: Quoting wikipedia, is a collection of religious ideas and systems that view material existence flawed or evil. "Many Gnostic texts deal not in concepts of sin and repentance, but with illusion and enlightenment."

Gnostic cosmogony generally presents a distinction between a supreme, hidden God and a malevolent lesser divinity who is responsible for creating the material universe. There may be variations on this particular point of view, and some people (like myself) may also see "supreme deity" more as a stepping stone to self-enlightenment.

 

[todienomore]

Here is more Cioran, he is the best. He wrote entire books of aphorisms, hes a very accessible writer.

https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Emil_Cioran

 

[Unending]

There's pro-mortalism. They'd push the Red Button and destroy the universe (or at least the world). Because life is a horror show where many animals must rip others apart every few days -- or die of hunger. Probably based on negative utilitarianism

Promortalists believe something more along the lines that it is in one's best interest for life to end sooner than later essentially. The red button thought experiment seems to be almost exclusive to efilists.