Absurdism and the myth of Sisyphus

 

What is Absurdism?

Absurdism is a philosophical belief that existence in its entirety is absurd. This implies that there is no higher meaning to the world and it is immutable to reasoning. One cannot decipher one’s existence through logic and rational reasoning. This is the basis of Absurdism.

The term “absurd” mainly refers to the conflict or dichotomy of two things, mainly being the irrationality of the preserved world and the human nature to find rationality in that irrationality. According to absurdist theorists and philosophers, the world lacks any real meaning or any higher motive, there is no reason for one being alive. In other words, there is no purpose to life.

Absurdism’s basis is derived from existentialism and it shares many similarities with its contemporary beliefs of nihilism and pessimism in terms of life being meaningless, yet it differs from them in the stance that they see the meaninglessness of life as a natural outcome of the eternal conflict of finding meaning in a meaningless world. This leads to the conclusion that the idea that if nothing really matters then the human response towards this fact also doesn’t matter.

A brief history of Absurdism:

The term ‘absurdism’ was proposed by a French philosopher by the name of Albert Camus in his book called “The Myth of Sisyphus”. But important works of absurdist discussions can also be found in the works of Soren Kierkegaard and Immanuel Kant.

Immanuel Kant:

The very concept of absurdism is due to the work of Immanuel Kant. Kant derived the theory of there being phenomena and noumena which in turn describes the gap between how things appear to us and what they are like to themselves. The concept of absurd can be explained by this thesis that humans in themselves can limit the mind from ever truly grasping reality. “Reality remains absurd to the mind”

Soren Kierkegaard:

“What is the Absurd? It is, as may quite easily be seen, that I, a rational being, must act in a case where my reason, my powers of reflection, tell me: you can just as well do the one thing as the other, that is to say where my reason and reflection say: you cannot act and yet here is where I have to act... The Absurd, or to act by virtue of the absurd, is to act upon faith ... I must act, but reflection has closed the road so I take one of the possibilities and say: This is what I do, I cannot do otherwise because I am brought to a standstill by my powers of reflection.”  Kierkegaard, Soren, Journals, 1849

Kierkegaard is a very important figure in absurdist literature. His work in Fear and Trembling (1843) tackles absurdist themes. In his work The Sickness unto Death (1849), he explains absurdism further that the three major traits of the Absurd Man (later described by Albert Camus) are: a rejection of escaping existence and a rejection of help from a higher power and the complete acceptance of his absurd and despairing condition.

 

Albert Camus:

Albert Camus is the most prominent figure in the field of Absurdism. He is a French philosopher, author, dramatist and journalist. His works include The Stranger, The Plague, The Fall, The Rebel and most importantly The Myth of Sisyphus. Camus recognizes the absurd to be a conflict between two ideals. The human condition of the desire to be significant and the cold response of the universe to that desire. He believes that humans with the awareness of the absurd leaves one with three choices: ceasing to exist (suicide), a leap of faith (believing or worshiping of a higher deity or force) or recognition of one’s absurd condition and living with it. For Camus, the first option of not living is a ‘confession’ that life is not worth living and it offers the most basic way out. He dismisses the idea of suicide because it renunciates human values and freedom. The second option of having faith in something more than human life may that be ethical or aesthetical is simply out of rationality and defers to abstraction over personal experience. This leap of faith is not absurd. For Camus this is just “philosophical suicide” Lastly one can embrace the absurd and recognize the predicament he’s in and continue to live anyway. It’s a revolt against the absurd, the meaninglessness itself.

The Myth of Sisyphus:

Sisyphus is a Greek figure who has the eternal punishment of forever rolling a boulder uphill. Camus saw the human condition as the same. Humans must persist in the monotony of life and try to find meaning in this meaningless existence. They must suffer the pain of existing in this cold, unforgiving world yet they must live anyway. They must recognize this absurdity and embrace it with open arms with their freedom, passion and rebellion. The ability to one’s freedom and the opportunity to give life meaning lies in the recognition of the absurdity, if the universe is truly devoid of meaning and significance then we are absolutely free. Free to create human’s own meaning and purpose; To decide for themselves. One becomes the most precious unit of existence. One acknowledging the absurdity of seeking a meaning but continuing this search regardless, one can find happiness and develop the meaning from the search itself. As Camus said, “The struggle itself … is enough to fill a man’s heart. One must imagine Sisyphus happy”

Absurdism is the theory of having passion, freedom and a revolt against the absurd.

The passion to pursue the joy of being for the sake of it, The freedom to at any moment to choose to continue and the revolt against the very void of absoluteness of the universe. Having the courage to stare at the abyss so hard that even the abyss flinches when it stares back . This is the burden of freedom; This is the weight of being. We can never be sure why we exist or why there’s no inherent meaning of this universe, but we can dance in the mystery; With the dance as the point all along. This is Absurdism.