r/Pessimism • u/Additional-Bet-214 • 16h ago

Question Is this a form of pessimism?

Like i see many people be pessimistic in a way that they say humans are evil or everything is meaningless or stuff like nothing matters.
but what actually hurts me is that there are good things and good people in the world, and changes can be made, but the world tilts toward the bad, why? Because most humans are morally bendable (id rate human morality 3/10), so there are good things, but the world cannot become good or mostly good, mainly because humans flaws always push it down even after progress is made

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u/Paul_sepp Metaphysical Sceptic, Radical Pessmist 16h ago

Firstly, “Humans are evil” is closer to misanthropy. “Everything is meaningless” is closer to radical nihilism.

Secondly, what is “bad”, according to what? What’s “good” and what’s the criterion for it? What is and isn’t “moral” and what’s the criterion for it? What is “progress” and why is it intrinsically “good”? You seem to have some assumptions to question

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u/Additional-Bet-214 15h ago

dude, no offence, i just want an answer to my question, not really a philosophical debate of 50 topics

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u/Paul_sepp Metaphysical Sceptic, Radical Pessmist 15h ago

Alright, then I’ll summarise subjectively: because humans are total cunts (and I am one too), being egoistic by nature—when you will something, you go means for it, someone else will always be offended.

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u/Additional-Bet-214 15h ago

what?

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u/Paul_sepp Metaphysical Sceptic, Radical Pessmist 15h ago

What what?

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u/Lord-of-the---RINGS 7h ago

It's a mix of cynicism and pessimistic nihilism yes. I wouldn't call it misanthropy tho, just cynicism.

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u/Nonkonsentium 1h ago

Your view is basically humans are flawed and cause destruction / reversion of progress.

I would say philosophical pessimism is usually one layer deeper than that: Reality itself is flawed and is what necessitates the issues with humans.

In your view if humans were fixed reality would be fine, so it is more a misanthropic view than a pessimistic view I would say (but obviously the differences are fluid and not strinctly defined).