nihilism
Philosophical term referring to the rejection of established beliefs, values, and meaning.
He is drawn to nihilism.
Nihilism was often dealt with in 19th-century Russian literature.
Katakana loanword for nihilism, often used in the same philosophical context. 虚無主義 is the native Japanese term.
Compound of 虚無 (kyomu, 'nothingness') and 主義 (shugi, 'principle, -ism'). The term was coined in Japanese as a translation of the Western philosophical concept of nihilism.