Conquering Nihilism in Accepting Death: The Philosophy of Persona 3

Hope you guys enjoy this video. As always feel free to give me some feedback.

[@anxhelovucinaj1576]

As someone who had copped with suicidal thoughts in the past,this game was probably the closest thing to ever use death as a crux for telling its story and that hit me hard. Death is inevitable,it's equal for everyone and when I first realized that I was left wondering:"What's the point of living then?" But by the end of the game,I found an answer. As Aegis said:"Every living being will eventually dissappear,but that's why we can find our own path" If it wasn't for this game,if it wasn't for its messages and that ending I probably wouldn't still be here right now. Thank you so much for making this video. You really brought home just what persona 3 is all about and I can't thank you enough for that.

[@matthewmacaballug5151]

'Wild Cards' I am thou... And thou art I. From the sea of thy soul, I come... I am the beginning of the end, And the end of time and space. I am essential to all of creation, And I surround you in every place. I shall always watch over you from within. Your fate is in the cards... Farewell... Once, I dreamt I was a butterfly. I forgot myself and knew only my happiness as a butterfly. Soon, I awoke, and I was myself again. Did I dream that I was a butterfly? Or do I now dream that I am a man? Yet there is a distinction between myself and the butterfly. This is a transformation of the physical. All the works of man have their origin in creative fantasy. What right have we then to depreciate imagination? Stand up and fight to grasp the truth of life. I am you. You are me. We are all connected by this ocean. Your powers... are hidden deep within your heart... Like a god or devil, it is "another self"... Like a god, filled with love and hope... Like a demon, cruel and merciless... Humans... go through life with many faces... Your current appearance is just another face... And so is your Persona... one of many... It is like the number zero... empty, Yet holding infinite potential within itself. In the rift between consciousness and unconsciousness... We can meet again one day... in the Sea of Souls. I am a shadow... The true self... I am beyond space and time... In all chaos there is a cosmos, in all disorder a secret order. Shadows are the lower parts of the psyche everyone has... Suppressed human thoughts given physical form. When people are unable to face their darker selves, They will break loose, free from all control. No one can ever escape the shadows, for there is no escape. I am chaos, no-faced. Therefore my faces are infinite. Understand that there is no point in living. Cry, that there is no true answer! Where there is darkness, there are shadows. I, myself, am all of you humans! The seven Pleiades set the frozen time free. Wild dance, shadowed festival, foreign song ensue. As flames of expiation light the heavens. The lion's roar echoes far and wide. Five skulls glow in the depths of the earth. The holy cross shines high up in the sky. Once the star comes to a complete halt. The Maia Maiden's heart stops with it. What then remains is paradise on earth. Marking the end and a new beginning. The twinkling star of Pleiades sets time in motion; Dance of pleasure, Feast of shadow, Tongue of stranger, Atonement lights all above... The lion's roar echoes throughout... The five skulls shine in Hades... The holy cross shines in the Heavens... The moment the stars stop rising... The beat of the virgin Maia also ceases... Paradise shall remain on Earth... Thou art I, and I am thou. Your joy, your sadness, your memories; Your heart and soul will return to nothing. Is this truly where you were meant to fall, Without having found your dream? No matter how many times you fail, the past will always relapse Since human nature is to grasp towards the future... Are you going to finish... without knowing the truth...? You are the only ones... who can help he who is enchanted by the shadows... The past... or the present? Which path was correct...? Memento Mori: Remember you will die. Remember your death. Death is not a hunter unbeknownst to its prey. One is always aware that it lies in wait. Though life is merely a journey to the grave, It must not be undertaken without hope. Only then will a traveler's story live on, Cherished by those who bid him farewell. Wrapped in eternal tranquility, loved through all eternity. Time never waits. No one can escape time; It delivers all equally to the same end. You can't plug your ears and cover your eyes. You, who wish to safeguard the future, however limited it may be... You will be given one year; go forth without falter, With your heart as your guide... Where once all other things begin That which holds endless possibilities. The answer to life's greatest question. As proof of one's life, there exists the danger of death. This proof exists as a flame, painfully burning one's life away. Yet though a life crumbles to dust, time moves ever onward. He who had been your proof... your life itself... You don't have to save the world to find meaning in life... Sometimes, all you need is something simple, like someone to take care of. I'll keep on living no matter what, so that I can protect you... Life is truth, and never a dream... All souls know this from birth... The truth is something that is chosen and grasped... Something discovered with one's vision and will. Only by gaining that does the seeker become truth himself, A cord that connects both past and future. The truth languishes with the hollow, fog-filled forest... As long as they open their eyes and look around, they'll see it. People can do it. For the truth is in my hands. I believe we all share the same consciousness. We literally all are the consciousness, and everything is. I believe we are all connected together. Like a metaphor, everything is like one huge brain, And we all are that one brain. I think we are all one, And each what is called individuals are 'split personalities' of the one. Truth appears to be stranger than fiction. The bonds one makes with others is the true power. It does not matter how far apart we are. The bonds we've made will remain strong. Everyone's hearts is connected to the people they know and trust. It's those bonds that let us all search for our purpose in life. As long it's a purpose that you believe in, There will always be someone who could help you fulfill it. You, me, and everyone else, there are no barriers. Our hearts are one. The world is not as it should have been. It's filled with distortion, and ruin can no longer be avoided. Those who oppose fate and desire change... From time to time, they were referred to as Tricksters. You are the Trickster. You are a slave. Want emancipation? Now is the time to rise against the abyss of distortion. You frauds who are in over your heads... Allow me to show you. How you pale in comparison to us as thieves! You are held captive. A prisoner of fate to a future that has been sealed in advance. This is truly an unjust game... Your chances of winning are almost none. The key to victory lies within the memories of your bonds -- The truth that you and your friends grasped. Steal back your own future. For the sake of your world's future... as well as your own... you must remember... Your path to rehabilitation begins now. Let us start the game. Before that happens, we will take back this country, the world, and our future! The whole world is a product of cognition... It can be freely re-made... The same goes for you, and everyone else. Soon a new world will come. One where mankind isn't held captive. The world will shine brightly as long as you hold hope in your hearts. Remember... There's no such thing as the 'real' world. What each person sees and feels - those are what shape reality. This is what gives the world infinite potential. Even if you feel that only darkness lies ahead in the end... As long as you hold hands together... See it through as one... The world will never end as it exists within all of you... Everyone is capable of changing themselves - your imagination is the only limit. In the end, I believe that is only something that you yourself can really solve. Life is but one scene from a play. We are all nothing more than novice actors Knowing nothing of the script. The curtains close before the play Is ever performed to its end... There is no spotlight shining down. Take off the mask that weighs you down. All that remains is a dream... A fleeting dream of the night... Welcome to this wonderful maze of life. Fate leads the willing, and drags along the reluctant. Players, you have done your part well. Yet, why do you not return from whence you came? The curtain has long fallen... You wander an ephemeral dream... Your transience affords uncompromising power... What is your life...? What is your death...? To live is the duty of those who are given life... When you return back to reality once more, You may end up facing the same hardships as before... ...We do not go astray because we do not know, But because we think we know. Beacons of hope and destiny, Had you chosen to halt your steps, And entrust yourselves to the tranquil dark? Only you possess the light to awaken those who drift in the abyss. If there is still hope deep within your heart... Now... it is time to rise up once more... Draw yourself from memories passed And begin your path anew... The road less taken... Go on, and walk from the inscribed path of time. From illusion to truth, from darkness to light, from doom to eternity... In life, hardship is inevitable. Some will suffer. Some will distress. And some will close their hearts. However, you had proven there is still hope to be found amongst mankind. You set free a young girl and shed light on the many for a new colorful world. Should you ever lose hope, should you be too weak to stand, remember that you are not alone. Even should you lose everything, you'll never again feel like you have been abandoned. Search your heart for your true self. Live your life in honesty. And walk again from the last moment that was engraved in time. In doing so, you will be able to stand against the most violent of tempests. Now go forth. Onward, to a brilliant tomorrow... kzbin.info/www/bejne/hKaUqXuCoc6ko80

[@ordinaryunits4341]

Super interesting! Your comment really encompassed all of the themes I've seen within the persona games so far and I appreciate the link to the video analyzing the world arcana. The arcana framework in Persona is a super interesting one to understand the world with.

[@TKSpeedShop]

This video is super underrated. Love the break down, P3 and SMT in general have been some of the most overlooked series coming into the 2000’s

[@ordinaryunits4341]

Thank you so much, I spent a lot of time trying to make this video as clear and concise as possible so I'm glad that it worked out! And I totally agree Persona and SMT has a lot of thematic meat on its bones that deserves to be explored

[@SirDecka]

I wanted to understand the Persona games more and I wanted to know what happened in Persona 3 without having to go through everything. This is an amazing video and it deserves more attention. I truly mean this from the bottom of my heart.

[@ordinaryunits4341]

I really appreciate you saying so! This video never got a lot of attention, so it means a lot to know that people think it's worth watching. Thanks again!

[@kendollguy97]

Came from Reddit! I think a lot of what you stated in the video encompasses what I definitely feel about this game, and it’s very good at doing so. The game has very clear cut Nihilistic themes that you described very well, but also fitting well in an Existentialist catagory too. Another thing the video really reminded me of was a reading I did by Nietzsche a while ago the Birth of Tragedy. I’d have to re-read it again but I remember finding it very applicable to many source material- especially in Persona 5. Good video! Would definitely like to see more :).

[@ordinaryunits4341]

I'm really glad that you enjoyed the video. I definitely felt like Heidegger helped make the game far easier to interpret because of his clear and rigorous language surrounding the natures of being and temporality. But I totally agree with Nietzsche being applicable to a game like Persona 5, he also happens to be my personal favorite philosopher!

[@earthboundman5]

I found your video from the P3 fes subreddit, and I wanted to say I really enjoyed the video! I liked hearing your thoughts about Strega and Ryoji, and man this video makes me want to replay P3.

[@ordinaryunits4341]

Thanks for the feedback! I really appreciate it and I'm glad that my video could get you into the world of P3 again.

[@siegfried7988]

This video hit on all the important aspects of the game. Persona 3 is definitely the best In the series.

[@matthewmacaballug5151]

{The Philosophy and Enlightenment of Persona} - The Savior, The Creator, and The Tempter - [Persona 3] - Nihilism: Life has no meaning, so do not worry and just live to value life. "I am Messiah. From this day henceforth, I shall be with you always, to the end of time... I will lay down my life so that I may take it up again." The themes of this game were about life, death, and purpose. Despite being misunderstood for the philosophy of learning there is no meaning in life, that does not mean all is taken for granted. Because the concept of Nihilism in general only views meaningless in a more neutral stance of the mind itself and that it was often portrayed as either positive or negative, the Shadow Operatives had understood the joy of living in spite of their mortality and not giving in to despair or committing suicide. [Persona 4] - Existentialism: Life has no meaning, so let us all make one for ourselves. "I am the original god, Izanagi-no-Okami... From the very moment of my emergence, I am the one who shed a guiding light to illuminate thy path." The themes of this game were about truth, bonds, and identity. It focuses more on a certain angle about knowing the true self in a hierarchical fashion when pursuing the truth through self-actualization. While this profound version of Existentialism was founded through certain Asian values that are rooted in the path of enlightenment and its fundamental meaning, this had led the Investigation Team on a journey of self-discovery by accepting the dark traits of themselves as well as each other. [Persona 5] - Absurdism: Life has no meaning, so let's just enjoy the ride until it ends. "I am Satanael. You would slay gods in blasphemy to protect the justice and freedom you believe in... Very well, I shall once again become your mask." The themes of this game were about justice, rebellion, and freedom. Despite feeling like or being labeled as social outcasts within their personal lives, the ideology of Absurdism shows that there is meaning found in the struggle with day-to-day life. By the lessons they learned throughout their time as the Phantom Thieves of Hearts, they can finally rebel against the status quo and learn not to shackle themselves by the oppressive chains that once bonded them to the systematic order of society. kzbin.info/www/bejne/m2jOZIekh7aqmLs

[@ordinaryunits4341]

Thanks for the thoughtful comment surrounding some of your interpretations of the philosophies of the Persona games! I personally like how these 3 games in the persona series conceptually build upon each other and are parts of a greater thematic whole. It really makes the experience of playing them very satisfying and I'm curious as to what they'll even do for a Persona 6.

[@matthewmacaballug5151]

You might want to add more to the title like its previous videos.

[@matthewmacaballug5151]

Also, do you have an interest with the older games?

[@ordinaryunits4341]

thanks for the advice I'll adjust it right now, I'm glad that you want to see my video succeed! And I do have some interest in the stories of the first and second persona games, but I'm not sure if I want to get into their older gameplay systems. Either way I'll still be making more persona videos in the future.