Topic

Absurdity

A collection of 43 issues

The Curse of Perfection : When Striving for the Best Brings the Worst

Human life is a cascade of desires — those intricate yearnings that push us toward goals, status, and meaning. Among these, the pursuit of “the best” holds a special allure. Striving for the best house, the best career, the best partner, or the best life — all resonate deeply with our ideals

The Absurdity of Hope : Is It Rational to Hope in an Irrational World?

I often wonder if hope is, at its core, a paradox. We live in a world that vacillates between the logical and the absurd, a reality riddled with chaos yet punctuated by beauty. In such a world, I ask myself : is hope an act of defiance, or is it a

Asymmetry in Value Creation and Nihilism : A Philosophical Intersection (part 2)

Nihilism, particularly in its existential form, is the belief that life lacks inherent meaning, purpose, or value. This worldview emphasizes that the structures and beliefs humans create to make sense of the world — moral systems, societal hierarchies, or personal achievements — are ultimately meaningless in the face of an indifferent universe.

Breath of Release : The Final Exhale

It’s strange how the final breath feels both foreign and familiar, like an old friend I’ve avoided but always knew would come. The air is thinner now, each inhale a negotiation with time, and with every exhale, I feel the world loosening its grip. Or is it me

Value Creation is Not Symmetric : Life, Relationships, and Organizations

Humans are inherently driven to seek value, create meaning, and leave a lasting impact. This urge to create value is deeply embedded in our psychology, touching on our need for survival, social connection, identity, purpose, and legacy. Value creation — the process of generating meaningful outcomes, benefits, or impact — is often

Why Realistic Pessimism is a Gift in a Delusional World of Optimism?

It’s strange to live in a world where optimism is marketed as the only viable option for a meaningful life. “Stay positive!” they say, wielding optimism as a panacea for all things bleak. But does relentless optimism make us any less exposed to life’s absurdities? If anything, optimism

Skyline of Solitude : The Forgotten Faces in the Rise of Modernity

In the city, tall structures crowd the skyline, vying for supremacy in height, gloss, and grandeur. These buildings represent our collective obsession with progress, each new floor a testament to ambition, each glass pane a symbol of perceived advancement. Yet as I look at these towering giants, an unsettling realization

Beyond the Clock : When Time and Self Become One

The clock ticks forward, dragging each moment into the next as though time is an endless scroll unrolled by the invisible hand of reality. Yet, if I pause and ask myself, “What is this thing I call time?” the answer slips through my grasp like water through a clenched fist.

The Hollowing

In the fading hours of twilight, where shadows stretch their thin fingers across landscapes that have long lost their meaning, he observes a world now entrenched in the dull hum of transaction. Once, there was depth. The waters of life felt bottomless, rich with the sediment of genuine connection, of

The Nature of “Negative Capability”

Somewhere in the rolling fog of history, amid the ethereal musings of a poet, lies a concept that has managed to evade the hard grasps of certainty and logic : negative capability. John Keats — who, in his letter to his brothers, named this elusive state — did not anticipate the term would