There’s a lot happening in the world. Who knows who’s actually paying attention anymore? That’s part of the weirdness—you can’t be sure who’s tuned in and who’s checked out. Anyway, yes, many things are happening. And that could mean anything depending on who you ask: sports, politics, or some random niche topic. To be clear, I’m talking about politics.

I once told a friend, during a whiskey-fueled but honest conversation, that politics was one of the only things that really mattered. Looking back, I don’t regret saying it, but I do want to clarify. Life has a lot of important pieces: family, friends, money, stability, career, education. Many jobs are critical to society: medical workers, first responders, stay-at-home parents, fiber optic cable installers. My point wasn’t that politics or politicians are more important than anything else—far from it. If you’ve ever watched a politician work, you’ll understand.

What I meant—and what I mean now—is that politics is one of the most powerful ways to drive real, lasting, large-scale change. For better or worse, it’s how society evolves. It’s not always progress, but it’s the mechanism. Without politics giving structure and support to our society, many of the roles and fields we value might not even exist. Consider the implications: politics touches every profession, every field, every aspect of daily life. At the base level, a law or policy is connected to nearly everything we do.

Now that I’ve cleaned that up, let’s get to the title: Nihilism Lately.

For anyone who needs a refresher: nihilism is the belief that life has no inherent meaning, value, or purpose, and that concepts like morality and truth are human-made. As an atheist, I can tell you: the pangs of nihilism come in waves. It’s not a plea for sympathy—it’s just part of living without religion, even after long hours of reflection and acceptance of a godless, natural world. You can build a rational, stable perspective and still recognize that there’s no higher authority answering, "Where do we go from here?"

That said, I want to distinguish my particular view from others: I believe that a sense of morality, and certain core moral values, are still compatible with a nihilistic or godless worldview. For me, the anchor is the reduction of human suffering—something I think most people feel naturally in their core beings.

Back on track.

So: nihilism. And "lately." What's been going on? Imagine the world through the eyes of someone who believes:

1. There is no god.
2. Politics, laws, and society are human inventions.
3. The universe will eventually experience heat death—where no more life, energy, or creation will be possible.

Hold that view for a second. Now look around. How absurd do the current events of the world seem?