Existential Angst

Today's topic comes courtesy from one of my students, who saw something on a t-shirt and decided to copy it onto my chalkboard. Apparently unawares of its significance, he offended me greatly not only as a Jew, but as a human being.
If there is nothing, we are left hollow and empty. If there is nothing we can be sure of, even our perceptions, even the reality of our own selves, then to what moral standard can we hold ourselves? This is called existentialism, for those not in the know. Can we really turn our nose at events we find morally repugnant, such as the Holocaust? Who's to say what's right and what's wrong if we cannot even agree on basic truths?
The fundamental question that is usually asked is, "why do we exist?" To which the existentialists argue, there is no reason. (Really, it is a quite self-centered question to ask. This could only be asked by a people who believed that the universe literally revolved around them). Yet there is hope. For if life has no meaning, then we must work all the harder to create meaning and attempt to create a moral world.
Do I agree with them? We work so hard to establish meaning. We cling to our religion (or spirituality, whatever suits you best) and ask, "how can a good God (creator, spirit...) let (fill in the blank) happen?" The recent situation in Asia is a good example of this. We have difficulty enough understanding how sick-minded people can cause so much suffering that it is nearly impossible to understand natural disasters, where no one can be blamed. Except maybe God.

Philosophy, besides its literal meaning the love of wisdom, is a search for meaning. Perhaps though, we are approaching it the wrong way. Why must we find meaning in life? Will it assuage our suffering? For this is the purpose we cling to our beliefs. If there is joy in another life after this one, we feel better. If we can see the silver lining to the dark cloud (the restored belief in humanity's humaneness after the tsunami being a good example), we feel better. If we knew, if we truly knew the truth, we would feel better (the truth will set you free). Uncertainty drives us crazy. It is the black abyss facing us again, and we cannot look in. What if we did though? What if there really was nothing and we finally faced it?