1. What is solipsism about?
2. Solipsism: the world is yours
3. Solipsism - a philosophical drug ?!
4. The Internet as a solipsistic phenomen
5. Self-contradictory character of "Applied Solipsism" as a campaign
6. The "undefinable and strange ribbon" - campaign
7. The absolute superiority of this campaign
8. Conclusion: What this means for you

What is solipsism about?

Don't worry, it is quite simple. There are basically three philosophic tendencies that carry the name solipsism. To cut a long (very long) story short I will try to describe the "reality/metaphysical solipsism" or "subjective idealism" meant in this campaign (as opposed to "egoism" and "knowledge / epistemological solipsism") in my own, simple words. I am not a philosopher and it's actually quite easy for anyone to comprehend.

Solipsism states that "reality" - e.g., the sky, air, colors, this computer screen, the people walking around - are just a projection of the mind that experiences it, or: self is the whole of reality; only I exist.

The human mind has no valid ground for believing in the existence of anything but itself. There is no independent existence of an external material world, nothing but the self exists. The things of my environment, including other minds, are merely inventions of my conscience. Conscience is my conscience.

From a personal point of view, the universe for you only exists because you experience it. For you, it exists because YOU exist. If you're dead (blackness as a poor metaphor for the absence of ANY sensoric input) it will not exist for you anymore; the universe might still be there, but you couldn't tell, it doesn't exist for you anymore. Therefore, subjectively, the universe only exists because YOU exist. From there, it is only a small step to realize (or "wrongly assume", if you're not a solipsist) that the universe only exists in your mind / imagination.

Now, some of you will say (to coin it colloquially) "hey, if this is *my* universe, how come it sucks so bad?"; the answer to that is simple. Just because it only exists in your imagination doesn't mean that this projection of your mind has to be a pleasant one and/or could be intentionally completely controlled/molded/modified by you, just like you are unable to intentionally/consciously control/change/influence your dreams. You might have a good, pleasant dream or you might dream a nightmare, either way, it is uncontrollable yet it is still _your_ dream, noone else has it.

(Maybe you, like me, as a child have often wondered wether I am not just merely dreaming everything (and I was afraid what would happen when I woke up...). Well, this is a basic form of solipsism, I gave it the term "Lebenstraum" or "LifeDream". Later I found out that Descartes, too, alleged that reality was a "dream", "inventions of my mind" (although in effect he contradicted that). The term "LifeDream" shall henceforth be used here as a way to roughly describe solipsism, it is a familiar term we can work with, but we have to keep in mind that it is not the exactly same sensation normally associated with the expression "dream".)

Solipsism: the world is yours   

A solipsist does not try to define reality - he accepts it as his world. A solipsist can not be argued with, since everything you are telling him he believes he is more or less telling himself. You are, after all, just existing in his imagination. This does not, however, mean, that this LifeDream is always pleasant or that you can't influence it. It does not mean you should not / could not for example help a person in need or behave at all in a certain way. That is your way to take influence on your dream...Things do happen in this LifeDream, you can still help a needy person and feel good about something or experience pain.

Solipsism - a philosophical drug ?!   

The facts above are not just strikingly logical but also have large consequences. One could argue that solipsism is a good excuse for arrogance. But this ignores the basic aim, no, wrong word, principle of solipsism. If at all it is a very subtle and hardly attackable nuance of arrogance as an unintended side effect of solipsism.

But it has great other potential. If you feel mistreated, your job is lousy, your relationship is a mess, people are annoying you all day, or a certain event or your life in general is a hassle - just remember, it is all yours, it is your dream, it all exists only in your imagination, your LifeDream; if it wasn't for you, none of it would exist. Solipsism is true solace, better than any drug.

But it is also a very dangerous idea. If one gets too indulged into it he might get carried away. If taken very serious and if you believe in it and think about it too much, the effects are just like other drugs.

Sure, there are many who disagree with the idea of solipsism, and they have good arguments, too. But even if one plays a little with the idea but generally rejects it he has to agree that in everyday life there can occur solipsistic everyday effects. Again and again you might ask yourself: what is wrong here?. ..am I the only sentient being here? Are these people really existing? Does anything really exist? Am I the only one to notice something?

The Internet as a solipsistic phenomen     

And this is where the Internet comes into play. With so many dead links and wasted bandwidth, illogic, faulty search engines, general information overflow - no, information landslide - no one will notice you and your page no matter how nice, intelligent or wholesome it might (or might not) be. And, after all, nobody is really looking for your page, anyhow. So why did you put it up, then?
The only logic answer to it is, frankly, that you put it up primarily for yourself. The only real visitor will be you. You are going to enjoy your pages, laugh at your jokes, find and fix a bug or check your links and advices. No one takes notice of it but you.

You have to admit, whether you like it or not and no matter if you believe in solipsism or not, that your page therefore constitutes an actual occurence of real, Applied Solipsism. Since you are the only person that notices your page, if it weren't for you noone would experience it and therefore it would not exist. The page exists only in your own solipsistic imagination, because if only you experience it who can tell if it really exists?

If, however, you are a practising solipsist in the first place, then your webpage, the internet and everything else only exists in your LifeDream anyhow. Your page is just an interaction that you take within your LifeDream, for your own pleasure and entertainment like anything else.

Self-contradictory character of "Applied Solipsism" as a campaign     

But this campaign and its ribbon might also fit you because of its enormous humoristic, absurd potential. Held to its own words, the campaign that "exterminates any and all other campaigns" because it denies the very existence of any sentient outside world is completely useless and self-denying in itself, because where there is no audience, why should there be a campaign to convince it of its non-existence?

The "undefinable and strange ribbon" - campaign   

Because of its highly self-contradictory and strange, hardly (if at all?) intelligible nature the Applied Solipsism - campaign was given not just any color, but an almost undefinable color scheme, therefore it has the "undefinable" or "strange ribbon". The undefinable ribbon of this campaign also serves the fact that due to its own postulations there is no need for a defined, recognizable design.

The absolute superiority of this campaign      

The "undefinable ribbon" - campaign of Applied Solipsism inherently not only includes campaigns like the "support mediocre websites - stop awards" or any even remotely similar, it is the epitomy of any such campaign tendencies, as it cuts off any such thing like awards from others, public recognition / criticism at its very roots - their very existence.

Conclusion       

What this means for you -
why your page should wear the "strange ribbon" - Applied Solipsism campaign logo

  sporting this ribbon on your page declares:

a) "I am a convinced solipsist and believer in solipsism - only I do really exist."

or :

b) "Although I am not a thoroughly convinced solipsist I am aware that my website constitutes an actual rare phenomen of existing solipsism, i.e., I am aware that NO ONE will ever take care or even notice me and my page; therefore, I put it up for solipsistic, self-indulging purposes only."

common result to both a) and b):

c) "It is therefore a logic deduction that I do not - can not - care for web popularity of my page. I do not - can not - care for your criticism, comment, witticism or even praise of my pages. If you would exist, I might tell you to go to hell. Sadly enough, though, you, the spotter of this ribbon, are only a projection of my imagination and do not really exist."

Join the Applied Solipsism - "strange ribbon" campaign now and show them you DON'T care !!!

M.Hofbauer 1997/98. The campaign logos are free for anyone to use, a backlink to this page would be appreciated. Back to the homepage