Pakistan, Jan. 24 -- A lone penguin walking away from its colony has become a viral sensation in 2026. Known as the "Nihilist Penguin," the clip has been shared millions of times online. Social media users see it as a symbol of burnout, detachment, and walking away from life's pressures.

The footage comes from the 2007 documentary Encounters at the End of the World by Werner Herzog. In the clip, an Adelie penguin leaves the group and heads toward distant, icy mountains nearly 70 kilometres from the sea. Its slow, solitary walk captured viewers' imaginations.

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Online, captions suggest the penguin "rejects purpose" or "abandons expectations," earning the nickname "Nihilist Penguin....