As a nihilist I saw this and was hoping you had an idea as to how to get rid of the empty feeling. Still, good to know I'm not the only one to have noticed it all.

It's very true that we're sort of trapped in all our things, and some of us don't even realise it. But it's not just our lifestyles but our societies. I've thought, a number of times, of dropping everything and just going somewhere to... do things, feel free, feel human, just feel.
I'm young enough that, if I did, I'd have no family that would be lost without me to support them, no job I'm needed for, etc, and I'm old enough to be the lead in many story-book quests. Perfect age to travel and learn to find myself.

But then I remember. I depend on my computer to distract me from life- I'd be afraid to abandon it. What if someone needs me or something happens? I should take my phone- but it needs to be recharged and paid for. And traveling needs to be planned, where I'm going and why, and it costs a lot depending on how much.
And if I do leave... what about when I'm older? I need a university degree to get anywhere decent, I need referrals and a place to stay, I need to focus on it instead of daydreams... and are there any places left to go, that will be worth the trip?

It's more than our views that need to be changed. These days, society shapes us, instead of the other way around. And I don't know if slow and steady can come through for us.

Thank you, Elle, for your insights on this. You make some very good points about the dilemma of wanting and needing to get back in touch with reality and also needing to think of the future via a college degree, employment, etc. I too am more glued to my computer than is probably healthy. But a few months ago I had to be separated from it for five days during a trip out of town -- not very far away, just to a major city two states from here. And after one day of agonizing withdrawal symptoms -- yearning to check my email about every five minutes, or read the news online -- those desires actually vanished. Life got slower, colors actually seemed brighter, and time seemed to expand. I'm not kidding. Being denied access to a computer actually enriched my perceptions of my surroundings. I think awareness is the first step, and you've already taken that step. Nature and reality are all around us and in my own fight against nihilism I've just forced myself to make a routine out of walking as much as possible outdoors. Not necessarily in nature -- just walking. It helps.

Like you mentioned, this modern phenomenon of nihilism comes as an unintended consequence of our new technological advancements. The quest and the desire for one, as you mentioned, is a huge factor in our nihilism. I’ve also noticed (from my experiences) that men, especially young men like the rocker you mention, seem to experience more profound nihilism. In my personal opinion, I think men in general need quests and goals to fulfill themselves. Men are naturally goal-oriented. A lot of wives, for example, lament their husband’s lack of interest in them and their families. I think when a man marries, he needs to set his goal to be: being a good husband and provider to his children. A lot of men don’t realize this when they get married and find out years later that this is not what they wanted. I also believe that biologically, men are driven to be protectors of women; their genetic goal is to provide for them and his children. However, one unintended consequence of women now having a huge role in the work-force is that now many of them are not reliant on men to provide for them. This has left many of us in a funk wondering what we should do. And like you mentioned, basic things we take for granted (hot water) could not have been easily provided a good hundred years ago as well. So I think the current nihilism displayed by most young men has to do mostly with both of these factors (we are not as useful these days because there are no deer to hunt and no one needs us to go outside and dig a well.) This, I believe, has lead to our current loss of direction and we need to look for new quests to focus on, otherwise we will resort to things like cutting. I’d love to hear your thoughts on this!

And I am not a Nihilist

That's very intriguing, and thank you for speaking frankly about differences between men and women -- differences that all too few people in many fields are even willing to admit these days. Over the last thirty years or so, countless millions of women have made quests out of gaining equality, finding fulfilling careers and attaining financial success. Earlier generations of women could never harbor such dreams. But at the same time so many men feel marginalized and even ridiculed these days, and they fear being chastised for expressing hopes and dreams that others might criticize as being "too macho."

And I'm not a nihilist either. His skill at describing the "gross" -- membranes, effluent, gore, and all of that -- remains unparalleled. It's not an easy thing to do and he is the master, a true artist. But a great many of Palahniuk's fans ARE nihilists -- largely because of those over-the-top gross-out scenes and their relentless horror.

As I read this article and the comments, I realize that all of you are talking about apathy and detachment, neither of which should be confused with nihilism. Nihilism is a quest in and of itself (it is partly an attempt to turn away from societal norms, some of which are technology, gadgets and isolation)...but if your quest is to rebuke modern society and the quests of modern people, whether you fail to understand them or not, then I respect that. But just because the alternate paths of some don't fit the fairytale definition of a,b,c Bildungsroman that you seem to commend indisputably doesn't mean that they aren't as true and respectable as your own. Literary horror is just part of the cultural vernacular. Like every other odd quirk of art, its purpose is to excite. Its been around for quite awhile too; Palahniuk didn't invent it. Dropping his name like this, as though he were responsible for the "terrible turn" of society, is just irresponsible journalism.

BTW - I'm getting kind of annoyed at the way some of the PT bloggers are so carelessly admonishing what they feel to be societal flaws without offering any insight beyond their own reactionary criticisms.

Kids (ages 8 to 14) spend an average of over
4 hours per day watching TV/videos. So for
every child who watches 1 to 2 hours per
day, there is another one who watches
5 to 6 hours per day.

Of course normal life is going to seem
pretty boring and pointless in comparison.

"We are the middle children of history,
raised by television to believe that someday
we'll be millionaires and movie stars and
rock stars, but we won't. And we're just
learning this fact... So don't fuck with us."

- Fight Club by Palahniuk

Where to begin?

Let's see. I am being asked to believe that WOMEN are the cause of men's apathy and detachment — yes, that's what it is, it's not nihilsm, I agree with Cindy — and their anger. Of course, women can never get the balance right between needing men a lot and not needing them at all. Whatever women do, it's emasculating to men. So our old companion, misogyny, is still with us.

Next, the writer Chuck Palahniuk creates work that is indisputably bleak and deals with distasteful and terrible things. Yet he himself began his work after attending a Landmark Education forum. If you don't know, Landmark is a watered-down version of E.S.T., where are told that you have yet to discover how special you are and going to Landmark meetings will help you learn how special you are and what your true passion is. Now you would think this kind of rah-rah stuff would help you learn to become less marginalized in your world, but this doesn't seem to be true of Palahniuk, who finds fertile ground in putrid things.

This was excellent.
I think we should define our world and ourselves in the positive, by what we are, and not by what we are not.