A great modern argument for Nihilism arises in the Adult Swim cartoon Rick & Morty. The cartoon is best summarized as Back to The Future-esque spin off where Dock is Rick, the alcoholic grandfather to Marty Morty. The show plays with dark humor to create an at times disturbing Nihilistic comedy. With genius grandpa Rick capable of interdimensional time travel, the duo has mind-blowing adventures. Rick & Morty asks its audience question after question without answering many of them. The overarching question is clear however: Why are we here? Is there a point to it all? The cartoon not only enlightens the audience to it’s perspective, but expresses how we should live with the answers to these questions. Rick and Morty uses the genre of Lovecraftian …show more content…
These are displayed perfectly through Jerry (Rick’s son in law) and Rick. Jerry is seemingly oblivious to the soul crushing mediocrity and pointlessness of his life. The perfect example of Arthur Schopenhauer’s quote: “The life of every individual, viewed as a whole and in general, and when only its most significant features are emphasized, is really a tragedy; but gone through in detail it has the character of a comedy.” He is too dumb to realize his life is pointless, but he is content. Rick, on the other hand, understands this meaninglessness of life and accepts it. But, despite his nonchalant attitude towards pain and suffering, he is an alcoholic who’s catch phrase translates to “I am in great pain, please help me”. It begs the age old question of: Is it better to be be oblivious and happy, or know the Truth and it’s reality? The juxtaposition of these two characters displays the show’s stance on the issue of Truth. Jerry is the butt of jokes, and a coward in most situations. While Rick has his issues, he is a genius, a hero. His funny quips and ability to get out of sticky situations are applauded. Rick & Morty is trying to ask it’s audience to cast aside fear and live with the uncomfortable …show more content…
At what cost? In the episode Mortynight Run, Morty plays “Roy: A Life Well Lived”, a simulation game where he grows up and dies. After the game, he completely forgets his own existence for a while, leaving the audience to question what separates the so called fake reality of the Roy game and Morty’s real one. When he remembers the game with the same emotions and sensations which constitute our own consciousness, what is the difference? Rick & Morty is constantly playing with the division between simulations and our actual lives. When shown movies like The Matrix, we recoil from the idea of living a fake life. Because we do this, it must mean we place meaning in the truth, our own life. According to Rick & Morty, everything is pointless, so does that mean possessing The Truth also is? The show’s answer is a most definite yes. There are multiple episodes involving false realities, but the characters always seek Truth in the