Firstly, we need to understand that all human beings are nihilist to a degree (by their very nature and biological limitations human beings cannot be absolute nihilists, though those who, say, commit suicide for the sake of it, or to investigate the afterlife existence might be close to it. As Nietzsche said, Nihilism is a double-edged sword, and it depends on the wielder as to how to possess it for one's gain). Many of us only care about incidents directly affecting our life and show little, if any, concern to the more macro-level incidents. To bring forth a pertinent illustration, in the movie 'Good Night, and Good Luck' CBS newscaster William Burrow rightly pointed out that if we make the TV an instrument for immediate gratification and do not attempt to educate or inform the masses to things or issues which don't concern them immediately, then democracy, justice and eventually a liveable society cannot prevail.

However, that is slightly beside the point here. I was trying to point out the inherent nihilist in every one of us. Rebelliousness in itself is a form of nihilism. Our societies' mighty and powerful, most of them conforming to the established but flawed social order, had to portray nihilism as an undesired virtue to protect themselves.

But nihilism in itself cannot be bad, at least that's what I believe. Why not take a look at Friedrich Nietzsche's concept of Ubermensch or Superman (as I type his name wrong, the spellchecker corrects me. Anyone with such a difficult to spell name having a mention in a standard English dictionary can not be all wrong with his philosophy!). When a person understands, to an extent, the meaninglessness of our actions, or rather, cannot find meaning to them, Nietzsche suggests that we live our life as 'works of art', to be idolised by the Supermen (Nietzsche mentioned Goethe as one close idol)