Recently, a topic named "Nihilist Penguin" has spread all over the internet like wild fire. This viral incident of the penguin is now a popular theme of almost all the trends, memes and various other posts on social media.
Although, social and friendly creatures like penguins and the term "nihilism" seems to be quite unrelated, this doesn't mean that animals cannot suffer emotionally just as humans do. The actual incident, however, remains debatable and has sparked contrasting opinions and different theories among the netizens.
The "Nihilist Penguin" is a fervid cultural meme originating from Werner Herzog's 2007 documentary, "Encounters at the End of the World". It features an Adelie penguin that deserts its own colony to walk 70 km inland toward certain death in the mountains, rather than the sea.
Some say that the penguin simply lost its way, or might be suffering from existential crisis, or its behaviour was linked to Freud's theory of a subconscious urge to return to an "inorganic state" of zero tension. Some view the penguin as a "Sisyphus" figure, while many others narrate the incident happening because of the penguin's neurological disorientation or instinctual error.
However, the most popular narrative suggests that the penguin had lost its mate. As penguins are pretty much well known, especially for their loyalty towards their partners (similar to the swans). This irrecoverable loss may have affected the penguin deeply.
For some people, it seems to be symbolically relatable: simply walking away from something which ultimately drains you, because sometimes it is the strongest and the best thing to do. Others find this as a powerful symbol of existential rebellion. Again, some see this as an unavoidable motivation of for a comeback, choosing our own path and moving on in our life even if it means choosing ourselves when nobody else does, to go and do everything alone for a better life even if no one supports us.
That's how, we can conclude that, even though the actual story of the "Nihilist Penguin" is heartbreaking, it conveys an unwavering message, lesson and inspiration to an entire generation to always prioritise ourselves and do what is the best for us instead of forcefully adjusting to the world's demands, expectations and life's burnouts, pressures and lifelessness blindly following the mass towards basic instinct and an apparent predetermined path, especially with almost zero outcomes, little meaning or purposes of life.
Mayhek Adhvee
Student
University of Dhaka
mayhekadhvee@gmail.com
