The Sunny Nihilist A Declaration of the Pleasure of Pointlessness

A positively rebellious take on a traditionally negative philosophy offers an antidote for our anxious times.

Career success, a beautiful life, a beautiful Instagram account—what's the point? In a world where meaning has become twisted into a form of currency that everyone is very keen to cash in on, journalist Wendy Syfret invites you to change the way you think about the way you think.

In her seminal work, The Sunny Nihilist, Syfret presents the optimism in Nihilism, encouraging us to dismantle our self-care and self-centered way of living and accept a life more or less ordinary. Syfret re-examines the meaning of worth, value, time, happiness, success, and connection, and guides us towards the alternative path of pointless pleasure.

When you let go of the idea that everything must have purpose, you will find relief from stress, exhaustion, and anxiety. Most importantly, you can embrace the opportunity to enjoy the moment, the present, the chaos and luck of being alive at all. The Sunny Nihilist is an inspiring call to action and survival adaptation for modern life.

Wendy Syfret is an award-winning Melbourne-based writer, editor, and author whose work has appeared in VICE, i-D, and the Guardian. Her first book How to Think Like an Activist was published in 2020. Formerly managing editor for VICE Asia and Head of Editorial for VICE Australia she now works freelance and tries to not take everything too seriously.