I've been uninspired lately — to the point that I skipped a newsletter for the first time, which is basically unheard of for me. In this episode, I trace that slump back to something deeper: a creeping nihilism that's crept in from spending too much time on the news and the algorithmic internet.

I get into what it actually means to believe life has no inherent meaning, why that belief has usually felt freeing rather than depressing, and what changed when I came across a John Green video reframing hope as a decision rather than a feeling. That sent me down a rabbit hole that ended with a distinction I didn't expect to land on: life might not have inherent meaning, but it does have inherent value.

This one's part personal essay, part pep talk to myself, about choosing hope without being naive about how bad things actually are.

Companion Essay: https://www.minaunfiltered.com/p/life-is-meaningless-not-worthless

John Green's Hope Video: https://youtu.be/M8lfd6ghyhs?si=AHyaqZP7GurS96_T