Gifted People and Existential Dread: Why Gifted Minds Find Dark Humor in Life’s Meaninglessness

Saturday, September 21, 2024.

If you’ve ever scrolled through social media, you’ve likely seen memes capturing the essence of existential dread—a feeling that seems to hit gifted folks harder than most.

Memes like “What’s the point of anything?” featuring Rick from Rick and Morty offer a humorous take on grappling with life’s meaning, but for the gifted, it goes much deeper.

Gifted people are often exposed to philosophical thinking at an early age, making them question the purpose of life long before others do.

They tend to see the world through a more analytical lens, often feeling disconnected from the simple pleasures others enjoy.

Dark humor becomes a way to cope with this ongoing existential questioning, a sentiment famously reflected in the works of Ayn Rand, Kurt Vonnegut, and Albert Camus.

What is Existential Dread Like For Gifted Humans?

Existential dread is more than just a passing feeling for gifted folks—it’s an ongoing struggle to make sense of life’s meaning.

Gifted people are often exposed to complex philosophical ideas early on, and that exposure can lead to questioning the purpose of everything, from daily routines to long-term goals.

Memes that joke about these themes have become increasingly popular, especially in gifted communities. Think of Rick from Rick and Morty stating, “The universe is a cruel, uncaring void. The key to being happy isn’t the search for meaning, it’s just to keep yourself busy with unimportant nonsense.” This kind of dark humor resonates because it mirrors the internal dialogue that gifted people often experience.

Ayn Rand’s Objectivism: The Struggle for Meaning and Achievement

For gifted folks, exposure to Ayn Rand’s Objectivism can feel both liberating and oppressive.

Rand’s philosophy, which advocates for individualism and the pursuit of rational self-interest, offers a path to greatness. However, for those already burdened with high expectations, the relentless pursuit of achievement can lead to burnout and a sense of meaninglessness.

In meme culture, this sentiment is often expressed through jokes like, “I wanted to be the next John Galt, but now I’m just tired.” Gifted folks who strive for personal success often find themselves questioning whether achievement alone can truly fulfill them, echoing the deeper existential themes found in Rand’s work.

Vonnegut and the Absurd: Laughing at Life’s Meaninglessness

On the other hand, Kurt Vonnegut’s works provide a satirical look at life’s randomness and absurdity, themes that resonate with gifted humans who often feel disconnected from life’s simpler pleasures.

Novels like Slaughterhouse-Five or Cat’s Cradle suggest that life may not have any inherent meaning, yet Vonnegut’s characters soldier on, driven by the sheer absurdity of existence.

Gifted folks often find solace in Vonnegut’s dark humor, as it reflects their own struggle to reconcile the absurdity of life.

Memes like, “So it goes” paired with darkly humorous reflections on life’s chaos offer a way to laugh at life’s existential dilemmas. The gifted mind, always searching for meaning, finds comfort in the idea that maybe it’s okay if there is none.

Philosophical Memes: Humor as a Coping Mechanism

For gifted humans, dark humor becomes a tool to cope with their existential dread.

Memes serve as a quick hit of validation, showing them that they’re not alone in questioning life’s purpose.

These memes often draw from philosophers and literary figures like Albert Camus, Sartre, Rand, and Vonnegut, whose works confront the meaningless nature of life while offering different ways to navigate it.

Common meme formats in this space include:

• Rick from Rick and Morty, commenting on the pointlessness of existence while continuing with his adventures.

• Memes about reading The Fountainhead at 15 and concluding that everyone around you is “too mediocre” to understand, only to realize later that even greatness can feel hollow.

• Absurdist humor memes that echo Camus’s idea of embracing the chaos of life, with a resigned smile rather than existential despair.

The Gifted Person’s Disconnection from Simplicity

One key theme in these memes is the emotional disconnection gifted people often feel from straightforward pleasures.

While most people are content with simple joys like a good movie or a weekend getaway, the gifted mind continues to churn with existential questions.

A gifted person may be sitting at a dinner party, trying to enjoy the evening, but internally, they’re wrestling with thoughts like, “Why are we here? What’s the purpose of all this?” This sentiment is humorously reflected in memes that contrast the simplicity of the moment with the weight of existential dread.

For those exposed to Ayn Rand’s ideas, this disconnection can be especially pronounced.

Rand’s philosophy places such emphasis on individual achievement and productivity that simple pleasures might feel unimportant in the grander scheme of personal success. The same goes for Vonnegut, whose characters live in a world where the pointlessness of everything often outweighs the enjoyment of life’s smaller moments.

Philosophical Roots in Meme Culture

Many of the memes that touch on existential dread within the gifted community owe their philosophical roots to Albert Camus and his notion of the absurd hero—someone who continues to struggle and search for meaning, even when none is guaranteed.

In meme culture, this is often portrayed with a mix of resignation and humor, acknowledging the randomness of life while also accepting that we must carry on.

Memes that draw on Sartre’s existentialism, Rand’s Objectivism, and Vonnegut’s satire all share this thread.

Whether it’s accepting the chaos, mocking the pursuit of greatness, or laughing at life’s inherent absurdity, these memes serve as a way for gifted individuals to come to terms with their own existential dread. They echo Camus’s idea that while life may be meaningless, we can still find meaning in the struggle itself—and even laugh about it.

Existential Dread in Memes and Literature

For gifted folks, the experience of existential dread is a common theme that finds its way into both literature and meme culture.

From Ayn Rand’s focus on achievement to Kurt Vonnegut’s embrace of absurdity, gifted people use dark humor as a way to navigate life’s big questions.

And while these existential questions may never fully go away, memes offer a comforting, humorous way to cope with the endless search for meaning. I remember once meeting Vonnegut’s grandson who told me of his crippling depression.

Whether you're reflecting on Camus’s absurd hero or finding solace in Vonnegut’s “So it goes,” humor offers a lifeline. After all, if life is meaningless, we might as well have a good laugh about it.

Be Well, Stay Kind, and Godspeed.