One Must Imagine Themselves Happ- …Wait, That’s the Wrong Line
Yeah, I’m pretty sure that’s not how the line goes from “The Myth of Sisyphus.” Quite frankly, what’s the point of imagining ourselves happy when we’re not?! For those clueless, it’s this ancient tale of a man condemned to an eternity of rolling a massive boulder up a hill, only to watch it mercilessly tumble back down. Sounds absurd, right? Well, that story isn’t completely different from our daily lives.
Life can sometimes feel like a relentless struggle as if we’re stuck in an endless loop of mundane tasks and challenges. It’s like we’re chasing after happiness, but it keeps slipping through our fingers. And that’s where the myth comes into play. As Albert Camus eloquently puts it, “There is but one truly serious philosophical problem and that is suicide.” Now, I know this might sound bleak, but bear with me. What Camus means is that life’s absurdity — the sense that our actions are ultimately futile — can lead us to question the very meaning of our existence. It’s within this existential crisis that we find ourselves grappling with the pursuit of happiness.
Life is Absurd
In the words of Camus, “The absurd is born of this confrontation between the human need and the unreasonable silence of the world.” It’s in this confrontation that we realize the limitations of our control. Life’s unpredictability and the vastness of the universe can make our individual desires seem insignificant. So, how do we navigate this existential maze and find genuine happiness? Camus reminds us that “The struggle itself toward the heights is enough to fill a man’s heart.” Happiness is not a fixed destination but an ongoing journey. It’s in the pursuit of our passions, the resilience to face adversity, and the ability to find meaning in even the smallest moments that we unearth our own personal happiness.
To be transparent, ever since I graduated, or maybe even before that, I feel like my life is operating and moving in a cycle. No matter how hard I try to get to the top and defeat all my demons, everything just comes back to where it initially started. I don’t know how it happens, but I assume that’s just how life is. All of us have boulders to roll to the summit, only to watch it reset.
So, my beloved reader, let’s reflect on our own journeys. Let’s embrace the struggles, setbacks, and the constant pursuit of meaning. As Camus reminds us, “You have your brush, you have your colours, you paint paradise, then in you go.” We possess the power to create our own version of paradise, even amidst the chaos. In the face of this seemingly absurd and meaningless task, Sisyphus finds solace and purpose. He embraces the absurdity of his existence and defiantly finds joy in his perpetual labour. It’s an excellent metaphor for our own life. We have the potential to create our own vision of paradise despite being in the middle of a disaster. Sisyphus achieves tranquillity despite coping with pointless labour. He accepts his ludicrous existence and boldly revels in his never-ending toil. It’s a powerful metaphor for our own lives. We, too, may choose to be joyful when confronted with of life’s absurdities.
Conclusion
The Sisyphus story reminds us that pleasure cannot be sought in external things or in the acceptance of others (particularly those we despise). It’s an insightful and very personal trip. We must challenge the status quo, question cultural standards, and seek genuine relationships. We discover the fundamental core of our existence via introspection.
Remember, “In the depths of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer.” These words from Camus serve as a reminder that even in the darkest of times, there is an unyielding resilience within us, a flame of hope that can guide us towards happiness. In the end, the choice is ours. We can either resign ourselves to the existential despair that comes with the recognition of life’s absurdity, or we can choose to find solace, purpose, and happiness within the very chaos that surrounds us. “One must imagine themselves happ- …wait, that’s the wrong line.” Let’s rewrite the script, and create our own narrative of happiness.
“Have you found a way out?”
Have a great day. — Dom
