see end of work for notes

“The Oxymoron of the Absurd”: My Personal Musings on Camus’ Sisyphus. 

“One must imagine Sisyphus happy.” — Albert Camus, 1942.

        Since ancient times, it is already innate in us humans to seek knowledge, to take on the relentless pursuit of finding meaning even against such  obstacles that is the absence of it. This paradox was wonderfully portrayed in Albert Camus’ 1942 essay about the myth of Sisyphus birthing an “absurd oxymoron” wherein the  desire for meaning coexists with the reality of the universe's reluctance to provide any, spawning tension. It is within this display of incongruous contradiction that Camus assesses the essence of the human condition. 

      Sisyphus is a prominent character in Greek mythology. He was a king known for his acts of deception and wit, a trait he would use even in the face of divine beings. These acts  angered the gods, damning him into a punishment of labor, condemned to an eternity of rolling a massive boulder uphill and rolling back down when he neared the peak. 

      The myth of Sisyphus becomes an attractive metaphor about the repetitive and often futile human behavior, effort and aspirations; however what is interesting about Camus is his proposal of diverting the readers from despair. He instead highlights passion, revolt, and freedom, urging us to “imagine Sisyphus happy”. This  paper basically aims to explore Camus’ work in transforming hopelessness to a source of liberation in tackling this “absurd oxymoron”, analyzing his encouragement in inciting passion, freedom, and  concepts of revolt in the face of an indifferent universe. Ι will delve into how Camus impacted my views on understanding happiness and ultimately living.

      Camus’ definition of revolt in this context is different from its usual political roots; rather he sees it as some form of a conscious confrontation with absurdity. For me, the usage of the word “revolt”  gives me the impression that the desire for finding meaning is a conscious act of defiance which is not the case for me since I view the human effort as fundamental and inevitable, not an act of stubbornness. It gives me a sense of wonder, that some people are “thinkers” enough that it becomes comparable to a revolt. It made me curious in recognizing the individual limits of seeking meaning. 

      Now, if the confrontation of the absurd is a revolt, the opposite of it according to Camus would be the act of suicide. The way I understand it Camus seeing suicide as the great philosophical problem creates a parallel with what Nietzsche (1882) said about nihilism, that the lack of objective meaning beyond traditional values introduced a problem for humanity. The harsh reality of the meaninglessness of life welcomes feelings of apathy which can serve as a motivator in committing suicide. For Camus, it is the logical response to the absurd. It is the unfavorable and unobstructed path to the conclusion that “life is not worth living”. As for me, of course this thought process gives way to  ambiguities. I do not think that nihilism always equates to something negative that it becomes an impetus for suicide. Today, suicide is more of a psychiatric emergency rather than a philosophical tragedy. It  houses a myriad of causes such as demographic factors, psychiatric disorders, terminal or chronic medical conditions, and unresolved psychological stressors (Andreason & Black, 1995.) All in all, I do share the sentiments claiming that suicide is the ultimate act of escaping from either oneself or the outside world (Baumeister, 1990) but I also believe that it is multifaceted in nature. 

      Finally, I would like to talk about  how Camus  basically told the readers that the favorable path in dealing with the absurd is acceptance, the acknowledgement of its presence. To him, it can lead to one's happiness and liberation. He posits that you can find contentment by living in the present transcending the void of meaninglessness the universe ironically offers. I find this mindset refreshing in a way that it can resemble a stoic approach to attaining happiness. Overlooking his individualistic approaches, I personally like this idea and can see myself integrating it in my daily life. 

      In conclusion, using the myth, Camus was able to paint a picture depicting the recognition of the absurd, taking the higher road from escapism that leads towards revolt and acceptance. That it can be a key to happiness, not in the pursuit of external meaning but instead being conscious and passionate in the present which as he suggests matters more. By personally exploring the concept of this absurd oxymoron, I was able to consider new interesting options that can aid a more fulfilling life. Now the question is, how do I balance these new factors with my existing values? Will I prioritize these insights at the risk of deluding myself? Most importantly, will there ever be a time where I can make a framework for myself that makes life truly authentic? Maybe the answers lie in the void somewhere.

Word Count: 800

reflections/notes holy shit this essay stuff is getting to me. anyways, i was working under a set word count so that's annoying (original wc was 900 sth) and well, yeah. reflection paper. this aint that analytical, im afraid. so yeah. camus. bro is interesting. (i hate deadlines) "and if you were to die, id envy the earth that wraps your body" :00000 ALSO, all my humanities work are under "ronwe" and my scientific stuff, "ronove" (same thing bro) - Julien Maynard Ronwe 蠱