The relationship between new media and nihilism in the axis of postmodernism: The example of the "Search series"

This study aims to examine how nihilist thought is represented within the framework of postmodernism in the new media landscape, and how these representations influence individuals' perspectives and lifestyles. Based on the problematization of how digital content affects individuals' search for meaning, the research investigates how nihilism is visualized and positioned in contemporary media narratives. In this context, the internet series Arayış (The Search) is analyzed through content analysis methodology. New media not only transforms our access to information but also reshapes our ways of perceiving and interpreting the world. In this process of transformation, individuals' value systems, existential questioning, and life expectations are restructured through media. In this study, traces of nihilist thinking are explored through the characters, plot, and narrative structure of Arayış, with a focus on themes such as the breakdown of the individual's relationship with society and the self, identity crises, loss of meaning, and psychological alienation. As a result of the research, it has been observed that the effects of the postmodern era on the individual become more visible through media narratives. Especially through digital series, nihilistic perspectives are increasingly normalized and internalized. This phenomenon is thought to lead to significant changes in individuals' lifestyles and value judgments. The study ultimately argues that media content functions not only as a means of entertainment but also as a vehicle for both individual and societal transformation.