The U.S. Government Shutdown, Explained (by a Nihilist)

Everything you need to know (about the void).

Photo by Ian Hutchinson on Unsplash

The federal government moved closer to a shutdown Tuesday evening, as negotiations between President Donald Trump and Democratic congressional leaders appeared to stall amid a flurry of social media posts.

Without an agreement to fund government operations, federal agencies will begin furloughing thousands of workers in what would be the 11th shutdown since Congress established the current budget process in 1976.

Here’s what you need to know:

1. Nothing matters. We have no inherent meaning, value, or purpose. The distinction between a government that functions “for the people” and one that does not function at all is fundamentally insignificant.

2. All systems are arbitrary constructs. The federal budget process exists because we collectively agree it exists. The appearance of order is merely a temporary shield against the void.