Nobody Cares

When the word “nobody” is normally used, the intent is to describe the absence of a person... a lack of anyone... an empty space. If you go up to a house and knock on the door and get no answer—the door stays closed—you're likely to assume that nobody is home... the house is empty. We tend to feel there's some kind of deficiency when we use the term “nobody.”

In Buddhist meditation one is sometimes advised to think about being nobody—as a mental exercise, to ponder the possibility that you are not who you've come to believe you are; that there is another way of conceiving of your being. It can be an antidote to an ego that has gotten a little too puffed up, or a way to shake up your usual assumptions of yourself, or a way to cast off those attributes that your culture has planted in you. We can occasionally use a little deflation of our self-importance, in order to regain a more balanced perspective.

But I sometimes like to play with the concept of nobody, as if there really was a person named Nobody. It can put an amusing and curious twist on some familiar and pessimistic thoughts. When we're emotionally down, we sometimes wonder if anybody cares about us. But then we can console ourselves that Nobody cares! When I'm feeling down, telling myself that Nobody loves me can take the weight off the emotion.

Am I wandering aimlessly in life, feeling lost? Well, Nobody knows where I'm going; Nobody thinks I'm on the right track. The answers to the big questions in life tend to remain beyond us, such as Why am I here?, or What happens when I die?, or Will I find happiness? Some people think they have a response to these profound queries. They're fooling themselves, however, for Nobody really knows.

The world's wisest philosophers give us conflicting answers as to what consciousness is, or what our mind is. They disagree and argue endlessly—each sure he's right. I think they are all off base; for Nobody really knows.

Sometimes I think I might continue this idea during the next national election. We have in Washington, DC a bunch of childish politicians who do very little about fulfilling their functions. Maybe next time I'll vote neither Republican nor Democrat. I'll vote for Nobody, because Nobody is honest and Nobody will do anything to straighten this mess out.

So if you're feeling lost or confused and uncertain where to turn, take solace in the fact that you're not alone. Hey, Nobody cares. Nobody will help you out. Nobody is there for you.