The difference between active and passive nihilism is described in Nietzsche’s “The Will to Power“. Active nihilism is “nihilism as a sign of increased power of the spirit” while passive nihilism is “a decline and recession of the power of the spirit”. Nietzsche further considered philosophical writing as a kind of “involuntary and unconscious memoir” in his “Beyond Good and Evil”. This suggests that he would have also considered his ideas to have psychological value too. So, with this in mind, Nietzsche appears to have provided a kind of rudimentary form of psychological typology in his distinction between active and passive nihilism. This can be equated to and built upon by the extroverted and introverted forms of nihilism outlined in ETI.
Active nihilism might easily be equated with extroverted nihilism. It seeks to destroy the old ways of thinking and explore new possibilities. This strengthens the spirit. Nietzsche would have been referring to an individual, personal spirit when saying this (he himself being nihilistic). This could be compared to introverted spirituality in ETI. So, this shows us that by arguing and utilising nihilism as “a violent force of destruction”, those who utilise introverted spirituality would be strengthened in their spirituality. They could essentially derive a stronger and deeper meaning from their nihilistic tendencies as they force them to look within and explore new ideas.
By comparison, the passive nihilist can be easily thought of as an introverted nihilist. When they are in the nihilistic state of mind, they are passive to it. This leads to a subjective form of nihilism that causes them to give up on things. This, on the surface of it, may be an easy state of mind to frown upon. It may appear depressive, lacklustre or otherwise downtrodden. However, it could be argued that such a form of nihilism is more objectively powerful than its active, extroverted counterpart.
From the depths of the state of passive nihilism, a person may claw out for any sense of meaning they may find in the outside world. This may be in the form of a political stance, religion or some other ideology. They may then cling to this and embrace it as the source of meaning and value in their lives. It gives meaning beyond their own desires. This strengthens their extroverted spirituality. Consequently, they may become diligent and zealous in their desire to spread and assert such meaning to others. They may too become destructive as they seek to dismantle all that exists as independent of their chosen source of meaning.
From this we may begin to take a more holistic view of active (extroverted) and passive (introverted) nihilism. While the active nihilist is finding stronger and deeper spiritual truths within themselves, they are building new ideologies that become original and unscathed sources of meaning. Meanwhile, the passive nihilist is dismantling old truths within themselves whilst simultaneously seeking a new ideology to cling to. Once they find such an ideology, they are the ones who zealously build churches, armies and governments to assert such ideas. No part to play in such a struggle is too small because they find meaning in the bigger picture. Consequently, they are lifted from a depressive state and empowered by having something meaningful to do.
This presents a wider cycle in society too. While the passive nihilists build up the physical aspects of an ideology, the active nihilists dismantle the theoretical aspects. Eventually, the passive nihilists stop building and the active nihilists stop dismantling. This creates a new equilibrium in which the passive nihilists can adopt new ideas from the active nihilists. They then build on them and make them observable. This gives the active nihilist an opportunity to start dismantling them again. The passive nihilist draws attention to things so that the active nihilist might challenge it. Therefore, the two cannot exist without the other. Similarly we too cannot find meaning within ourselves without passive and active nihilism playing a part.
For the passive nihilist, their unconscious, active nihilism is constantly undermining the meaning of their efforts in a logical manner. This is repressed until it can’t be repressed anymore and causes the passive, nihilistic state. Likewise, passive nihilism is unconsciously undermining the emotional value of what is seen in the outside world for the active nihilist. This gives them the emotional drive they need to be active nihilists. So, an equilibrium is also required within a person’s psyche. We are motivated to be both productive players in a greater vision and dissenting rebels who lives according to our own truth. So, with these two forms of nihilism, we may be authentic while also being team players
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