There is no meaning to your existence...

Hey folks -

Read the rest of part IV of C&P (to approx. pg. 300). Read the Wikipedia
entries for "Friedrich Nietzsche" and either "Existentialism" or
"Nihlism." Make some connections.

Post a brief response to both readings on your blogs. If everyone posts,
there will be no quiz. All blog posts must address both the novel and the
Wikipedia article, though. THOUGHTFULLY.

Oh, how I have pondered so much on my existence and the difference between existing and living with myself and my friends.... this reminds me of The Doors of Perception and The Road. I believe we're both existing and living, in a scientific sense. If I were to "live," in society's context, I'd probably be in jail or if it were possible, drop out of school (because it's so mundane here) and attend college. Gosh, I regret not applying for an early application and skip my senior year... I believe that we cycle through "existing" and "living" throughout our lives. Some people get goals, achieve, set more goals, and the cycle starts over. Others like to live for the joyful times. It seems that in order to live by society's context, you must always be happy and kept at a constant mental high (soma?). We try to find some purpose, some meaning in our lives because without it, we question our existence and what is the point of living? Just like the man and the boy in The Road. One's belief in a god or superior being gives one a purpose to live and that by abiding to the the rules, one will be granted a good afterlife for one's efforts or suffer for all eternity. Everybody wishes to go to heaven, but no one wants to die. The rapture was the most boring apocalypse, by the way. My blog's name "my karma just ran over your dogma" also references towards God. Nihilism states that there is no meaning to life (and frankly, I don't think there is). In a world of about 7 billion people, many people simply just exist for the sake of living and nothing else. It is arbitrary is to find the meaning of life. I'll give you a hint, it's 42.

Rodya isn't religious and after having Sonya read the story of Lazarus out loud, he finds some hope that he can start his life anew. Rodya doesn't exactly have any reasons for living, he lives in poverty and was a student. Sonya, on the other hand, being a prostitute, the family situation, and everything still has optimistic views. Is this a product of her faith in the existence of a God? Who knows. Would she be as strong in character as she would be if she didn't believe in a deity or would she also fall as low as Rodya is.

I like Nietzsche and his philosophy. I can understand his nihilistic and existential  views. His Ubermensch ideology is also quite fascinating and I can understand why. Some people could be innately superior to others (and this brings in the debate of nature versus nurture), but I prefer certain individuals not white supremacy or any race in general. I do believe that Ubermensch should help benefit human society as a whole. Too often, we see how selfish and greedy a country can be. However, I don't think it's an excuse for you to kill someone like how Rodya killed the pawnlady to "benefit" everyone else. There could have been another alternative instead of killing her, like robbing her as Robin Hood would do? No need to murder her and for an absurd reasons also! He then proceeds to questions himself if he is indeed an Ubermensch when he harbors that guilt and mental distress within himself.