In Russia during 1860s some progressive intellectuals rejected religious prejudices, idealist philosophy, dictatorial attitudes in social and family life, the liberal denunciation of society and demanded freedom for the individual and equality for women. Its opponents ascribed to nihilists the negation of all spiritual values and a desire to destroy the foundations of civilization.
There is an increasing level of nihilism amongst young people encouraging a certain number to settle for a life on social benefits, just above subsistence poverty, as being their highest aspiration. If a significant proportion of young people take that attitude, society will be in great difficulty.
The nihilist interpretation is at once the denial of all foundations and the negation of all objective truth. Quite apart from the fact that it conflicts with the demands and the content of the word of God, nihilism is a denial of the humanity and of the very identity of the human being. It should never be forgotten that the neglect of being inevitably leads to losing touch with objective truth and therefore with the very ground of human dignity. This in turn makes it possible to erase from the countenance of man and woman the marks of their likeness to God, and thus to lead them little by little either to a destructive will to power or to a solitude without hope. Once the truth is denied to human beings, it is pure illusion to try to set them free. Truth and freedom either go together hand in hand or together they perish in misery. (Papal Encyclical, Fides et Ratio, 14 September 1998).
The genius of American popular culture resides precisely in the nihilism of its entrepreneurs and in the society whence they spring. This is due to the staunch refusal to admit that anything needs to be taken so seriously that its marketing should be impeded. There is a confidence that anything can be marketed if the right advertising angle is used.