Preston

Not everything is nihilism, there is also existentialism and absurdism and I will explain it in very very simple terms.

All three overlap and there all based off the belief that there’s essentially nothing lasting, nothing objectively good or true or worth pursuing, there are no objective goals because we’re all gonna die, there is a quote but I can’t remember it, basically there is no purpose or meaning to life.

Nihilism came first and not only does it believe the former it also believes that there is no point trying to give your life meaning, it’s very much giving nothing matters so why bother.

Then, existentialism, instead of thinking why bother existentialists think you should construct your own meaning in a world that has none, they think life doesn’t inherently matter so they will make it matter to them. Essentially life has no meaning so make yourself happy.

Now, absurdism, now this belief essentially is just believing that nothing matters and trying to find meaning is pointless because there is none but still accepting the conflict of and value the things you experience in life. So it’s essentially just nothing matters but I’ll still look for meaning and enjoy existing in the absurdity of the conflict.

In even simpler terms;

Nihilism: fuck it and jump off a cliff.

existentialism: fuck it ill do it myself.

The first picture is shark skin under a microscope, the second is a close-up, and the last picture is from further away. They all have dermal denticles, but I chose to show a thresher shark for three reasons, because I think they’re cute, because I felt like it and because I can.

Yes, JJ is impulsive and reckless, but above all he is loyal to the people he loves, i.e., the Pogues. On top of that, a huge reason for his recklessness and impulsivity is that he never believed he had a future to lose. He never thought he’d get a stable job or a stable life, and now he has one. Could that have gone to his head and made him feel invincible? Possibly, yes. But he finally has everything he never thought he could have, and so do his friends. A lot of his impulsive decisions in earlier seasons came from wanting to benefit the group. He knows their financial situation, but he also knows that, at that point, they had enough for rent. I just don’t know if he’d risk everything he and his friends had ever wanted on a race especially one involving none other than Rafe Cameron and Topper.

As I was watching, I already knew they were in the race, and my first thought was, “They’ve fucking rigged it.” I find it hard to believe that thought never crossed JJ’s mind. He hates those guys and would slander them any chance he gets, so why wouldn’t he think of that, even as a joke? On top of that he knew going into it that rafe and topper would do whatever it take to make sure he didn’t win. Then I saw his shit-mobile bike and realized that is where the issue would lie. However, that never comes up. I suppose that was a bit of a side rant, so I’ll stick to the character or at least my interpretation of him.

So, to get back on track: JJ is impulsive and reckless, and he does see the benefit of winning a ton of money. But his impulsiveness has always come from believing he has no future to ruin, in his mind, it was already guaranteed that his future was shit. Now, though, he’s happy. He has a stable job he enjoys, he’s living with his family, and he has a girlfriend he loves. He has everything he never thought he would. I’m not saying he’d completely stop being reckless or impulsive, old habits and all, but he’d probably rein it in a bit more, especially with big decisions, even subconsciously, No? And on top of that, his choices affect his friends too. It’s not that he’s never made stupid decisions with the intention of helping the group before, but now it’s different because he can actually see the drastic effect it could have on his and his friends’ everyday lives if he messes up. He has everything to lose if he bets the money.