Pain is a strong mournful feeling hidden within us and individuals have different ways of reacting to it. Ernst Junger stated in his essay, “Boredom is nothing other than the dissolution of pain in time”, (Junger P. 13). The quote means that if an individual is experiencing boredom they are feeling disconnected from feeling pain at the time. If the person tries to alleviate the pain by acting differently they still can’t escape from the harsh reality of pain waiting for them. Even if an individual tries to hide their pain it will still remain there. The statement relates to nihilism because it refuses to believe that their actions demonstrate denial of pain and reality. It also relates to nihilism because pain had an influence on past events and attitudes changes towards war, traditional values and liberalism.
Through out the years war has caused destruction and pain to our world. Instead of making the situation better, it affects everyone and the environment in which we live in. War doesn’t resolve our issues but create more pain. Like Junger states in his essay,”In war, when shells fly past our bodies at high speeds, we sense clearly that no level of intelligence, virtue, or fortitude is strong enough to deflect them, not even by a hair. To the extent this threat increases, doubt concerning the validity of our values forces itself upon us. The mind tends toward a catastrophic interpretation of things wherever it sees everything called into question”. (pp. 5-6). When war occurs there’s nothing us human can really do to stop it. Threats of war increased and individuals started doubting their traditional values. During the war many people suffered and got killed which caused pain to those who were at war, their families, friends and people around them. Experiencing this destruction of war makes us doubt our values because we still feel the pain and our old values isn’t making the situation better and its meaningless. Individuals start considering new values in order to help eliminate pain but in reality it still remains there.
Liberalism in a society contradicts Christian values because they feel good will always conquer evil. Junger states “Pain’s disregard for our system of values greatly increases its hold on life...Our children’s tales close with passages about heroes who, after having overcome many dangers, live out their lives in peace and happiness. We hear such assurances with pleasure, for it is comforting for us to learn about a place removed from pain. Yet, in truth, life is without any such satisfying end...” (p. 4). In society we are fed with unrealistic affirmation about how good can always defeat evil. In reality individuals need to see life for what it really is. This makes our individual ways of thinking meaningless because it is not real or true. It is satisfying to hear and live positive and where pain doesn’t exist. It is important to know how to differentiate between being positive and seeing life clearly without being blinded.
In conclusion, many events throughout the years have caused pain. Many individuals start losing their traditional values and even themselves. People shouldn’t have to hide pain or lose hope by believing new things. Individuals have to look at life for what it really is and start confronting the pain instead of hiding from it. Nihilism for sure has a relation to many of Ernst Junger’s quotes in his essay and past events. Pain shouldn’t be something we should hide inside but something we should learn from and change.
Attitudes on sexuality has changed and caused controversy among the years. The new attitudes on sexuality can relate to nihilism because individuals started losing their values and morals. They decided to withdraw from their former values and find better and improved values to accommodate their ways of living at the time. Their past values banned sexuality so it became meaningless to follow their old value especially after the First World War New attitudes towards sexuality started developing during the 1920s and early 1930s.
During the 1920s individuals didn’t want to keep their values and morals. They couldn’t rely on their old ways because they lost interest and individuals needed to do what they can to survive regards if it’s positive or negative. Traditional values places prohibitions on sexuality because in the past in order for two people to have sex they needed to be married. Individuals couldn’t have sex outside the marriage in order to avoid scandals. Women were also more respectable and were not as provocative or revealing as women today. After the First World War women were forced to prostitute themselves as well they were living in poverty and needed money. There was also rapes involve during the time by their own soldiers.
In the film “Blue Angel”, Lola worked at a cabaret as a singer which demonstrated how liberal women were at the time. They were not just house wives but were entitled to make their own decisions when choosing where to work. In the past women were not allowed to be open with themselves and sexuality. Lola was with Rath a school professor that decided to risk his job for her. Their relationship was short lived and she decided to move on to be with another man. That shows how sexuality has changed because right after she was with Rath she was embracing another man.
In the novel “Dream Story” by Arthur Schnitzler, Dr. Fridolin and Albertina is a young couple who fantasizes about being with other people. In the film and novels it seems like everyone is just interested in sex just like the 1920s and 30s. In the novel Fridolin tries to attempt his sexual desires which demonstrate disrespect to his relationship to Albertina. There was certainly a new attitude towards sex that developed during that time especially in the scene where there is an orgy. Schnitzler states, “For a second he thought of leaving, but his curiosity, the allurement and above all, his pride, were stronger than any of his misgivings… Now that I’ve gone this far he thought, I don’t care what happens” (p.65).It shows how engaging people were to having sex deliberately with multiple partners and even outside of their marriage. Fridolin didn’t care if the opportunity came for him to have sex with other women he was up to it.
In conclusion, sex has grown to be part of what people do. Individuals are interested in having sex outside their marriage, with different people, for self pleasure and use it as an occupation. People have lost their values and morals and no longer cherish their traditional ways. It has become a lifestyle and individuals are liberal with their sexuality.
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