Absurdism: Life is Absurd
Every day,
We wake up,
Make coffee,
Take the train to work,
Stare at a computer for hours,
Get yelled at by our boss,
Stare at the computer for a few more hours,
Take the train home,
Binge Netflix while eating dinner,
Go to bed,
And do it all over again!
Nothing appears to have purpose. Life is haphazard and meaningless. You look around, and you whisper to yourself,
"Why are all of these people even in such a hurry? For that matter, why am I? What's the point of all these? Why am I even alive?"
We're evolutionarily programmed to search for a pattern in this chaos to understand why things are happening the way they do. But I guess existence is best when it's random and irrational. Nothing really seems to matter.
Your loved ones die, stars explode, natural disasters wipe out entire cities, millions of people spend their entire day scrolling the endless feed, for what?
Absurdism
It's the mid-20th century, and a French-Algerian thinker named Albert Camus is shaking up the world of philosophy. He's not just questioning the meaning of life; he's flat out saying, "Life has no inherent meaning." But here's the twist – he's not leaving us in despair; he's inviting us to rebel against the absurdity of it all.
Camus puts it this way: "To deal with an unfree world, become so free that your existence is an act of rebellion."
In other words, he’s telling us to fight back by finding our own meaning.
The Absurd Hero
Camus's seminal work, "The Myth of Sisyphus," serves as an intellectual cornerstone of absurdism. In this essay, he introduces us to the concept of the absurd hero, personified by Sisyphus, a figure from Greek mythology. Condemned by the gods to eternally push a massive boulder uphill, only to witness it roll back down as he nears the summit. That's life in a nutshell, according to Camus. But here's the kicker: Camus thinks Sisyphus is happy.
It's like playing a video game with no ending – the joy isn't in winning; it's in the game itself.
That's what Camus meant when he said, "The struggle toward the heights fills a man's heart."
Absurdism vs. Nihilism: The Face-Off
Okay, quick detour. Let’s clarify something. Absurdism isn’t the same as nihilism. Nihilism says, "Life’s meaningless, so why bother?" Absurdism says, "Life’s meaningless, so let’s make our meaning." It’s the difference between giving up and rolling up your sleeves to create your path.
Nihilism is like throwing in the towel and saying life is utterly meaningless, like a blank canvas with no paint. But absurdism is more like grabbing that blank canvas and painting your masterpiece, even if the universe doesn't care.
The Stranger
Now, let's dive into Camus's novel "The Stranger." Meet Meursault, our textbook absurd hero.
He's emotionally detached, and he drops a bombshell with this line: "I opened myself to the gentle indifference of the world."
In plain English, he's saying, "I accept that life's meaningless, but I'm living it my way."
Meursault doesn't let society dictate his choices. He lives life on his terms, consequences be damned. That's the audacious spirit of absurdism.
Kierkegaard’s Leap of Faith
Søren Kierkegaard, the Danish philosopher, wasn't exactly an absurdist, but he had a piece of the puzzle. He talked about the "leap of faith." That means embracing uncertainty and committing to a higher purpose without needing proof.
It's like jumping into a pool without knowing how deep it is, but believing you'll swim.
Embracing the Absurd
So, what's the takeaway here? Absurdism isn't a gloomy resignation; it's a call to action. It's about finding freedom in the absurdity,
like Camus says, "In the depth of winter, I finally learned that there was in me an invincible summer."
Translation: Life's meaninglessness isn't a burden; it's an open invitation to live passionately and authentically.
Dancing with the Absurd
To conclude, In the grand dance of life, absurdism invites us to waltz with the absurdity itself. Life may seem like a cosmic joke, but the real punchline is this: We get to write our script. We're the rebels, the artists, and the creators of meaning.
Life's absurdity isn't a roadblock; it's the canvas on which we paint our masterpiece. So, let's embrace the absurd, find joy in the chaos, and dance through this wonderfully meaningless existence with all the rebellious spirit we can muster!
We're all in this together; we'll never make it to the top of the mountain. The meaning of our life will forever elude us, but as Camus says,
"The struggle itself towards the heights is enough to fill a man's heart. One must imagine Sisyphus happy."
Happy reading!
