[Edited title and body to change Selfish to Doomer]
These Doomer Nihilists are so sure the world is so completely fucked, that they just nope out of any meaningful action that might mitigate what's coming.
Hell, they might be right. But it takes an incredibly selfish person to assume their idea of the future is absolute, to the point you just go "If I'm doomed, I'll just let it burn with everyone inside."
I've been called naive, idealistic and cliche just because I believe in the Human capacity to adapt and thrive, and our unique ability as Humans to choose what we believe. How a positive mindset will -literally- move us in a positve direction, generally speaking.
And I admit, I am verying degrees of those things... But am I wrong?
Humans became... And we're still becoming, a collective organism as the internet spreads. It's far from perfect, but it keeps us all connected in one way or another. That gives each and every one of us a little push and tug on the whole.
Unless you are truly isolated in your life, and my heart breaks for those who are, your positivity matters. Your negativity matters. These things spread to anyone who interacts with you, whether it's the slightest bit or enough to get someone to see another perspective. It spreads and it matters.
I just feel like... if more people were a little more naive and idealistic, but informed, we might not be so fucked.
Face it like a Human.
I feel like this depressive kind of nihilism happens as a reaction to most of our culture being spun around higher meanings.
Whether that's religion, spirituality, some ridiculous Hollywood love story or pseudo-scientific universe theories.
Growing up in this context, many will discover that each of these higher meanings don't apply to them, because they don't believe in gods or spirituality, they don't have a Hollywood love story and those universe theories don't click with them either.
The obvious conclusion is depression. It appears to be required to have a higher meaning to lead a 'meaningful' life and you don't have one.
It's one hell of another mental leap to recognize that:
Equipped with all that, you're able to realize that no one has a higher meaning. It is not required. Nothing matters, but this fact does not either matter. And then you're free to choose your own non-depressive adventure.
I think this is very well said.
However, I'd add that if you take into account the human mechanisms for spirituality and religion, its less that they were simply "made up" and more of a natrual stepping stone on the path to understanding