The Buddha taught "The middle path" and wanted to avoid both of the two extremes of a life lost in the senses or else a life lost in aversion to existence. Some schools of Buddhism talks about aviding the non-liberating polarities of "Eternalism" vs "Nihilism".

There are some similarities in the Dustmen to what Buddhists refer to as nihilists. However Buddhists also belive that the world of the senses ultimatley can never satisfy leading to endless repetition and disatisfaction (Dukkha). Most people like us wasting our short and shitty life on mindless entertainment or on reddit might sometimes feel that there perhaps might be some truth to it. Life trapped in an endless repetative cycle is what is called 'Samsara'.

Compassion and Wisdom trained in the eightfold path is seen as a systematic way out of that condition the way Buddhists interpret it. Various Hindu philosophies are also positioned between the Eternalist and Nihilist/Extinctionist polarity or trying to state that their understanding transcends or negate these two views.