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4.06 AVERAGE
4.06 AVERAGE
informative
reflective
slow-paced
slow-paced
reflective
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
Not life changing /pos
reflective
medium-paced
According to Camus, the absurd is born from the nexus between the unintelligible vacuum of existence and the human inclination to assign value to it, patching up the holes in the ontological tapestry with seemingly rational man-made symbols. “The divorce between man and his life, the actor and his setting, is properly the feeling of absurdity.” Camus initially casts this as a futile struggle, for “between the certainty [he] has of [his] existence and the content [he] tries to give to that assurance, the gap will never be filled.”
Further, he posits the notion that “we get into the habit of living before acquiring the habit of thinking” - where every biological mechanism we perform precedes a consciousness, or the realisation of a consciousness. In lieu of the latter, man has a tendency to engage in a interminable game of self-elusion, carried forward by a fragile thread of hope sought in idols, religion, etc. (philosophical suicide). This leads us to the central question of the essay: can the Absurd be subdued with suicide?
Ultimately, Camus forges a distinct trajectory alongside the myriad paths treaded by other existentialist thinkers, who have all similarly taken a ‘leap of faith’ over the chasm between the incomprehensible and the innate desire for meaning. He asserts that we should reconcile ourselves with the absurd instead of seeking to transcend it, embracing absurdity as the vehicle for life’s enrichment. “To impoverish that reality whose inhumanity constitutes man’s majesty is tantamount to impoverishing him himself.” In other words, it is possible to find meaning and joy in the seemingly futile struggle against the inane mass which the ‘consciousness’ confronts everyday. This is an act of revolt, freedom and passion.
As a lover of philosophy, this is a book that I’ve been meaning to tackle for a while - while the number of pages appears scarce, the content they impart is dense and intricate. However, I made some enlightening discoveries along my reading journey that will mark me forever, echoing back my own thoughts while subtly distorting them with more hopeful undertones…
I’ll leave this off with one of my favourite quotes: “There is no sun without shadow, and it is essential to know the night. The absurd man says yes and his efforts will henceforth be unceasing”…
Further, he posits the notion that “we get into the habit of living before acquiring the habit of thinking” - where every biological mechanism we perform precedes a consciousness, or the realisation of a consciousness. In lieu of the latter, man has a tendency to engage in a interminable game of self-elusion, carried forward by a fragile thread of hope sought in idols, religion, etc. (philosophical suicide). This leads us to the central question of the essay: can the Absurd be subdued with suicide?
Ultimately, Camus forges a distinct trajectory alongside the myriad paths treaded by other existentialist thinkers, who have all similarly taken a ‘leap of faith’ over the chasm between the incomprehensible and the innate desire for meaning. He asserts that we should reconcile ourselves with the absurd instead of seeking to transcend it, embracing absurdity as the vehicle for life’s enrichment. “To impoverish that reality whose inhumanity constitutes man’s majesty is tantamount to impoverishing him himself.” In other words, it is possible to find meaning and joy in the seemingly futile struggle against the inane mass which the ‘consciousness’ confronts everyday. This is an act of revolt, freedom and passion.
As a lover of philosophy, this is a book that I’ve been meaning to tackle for a while - while the number of pages appears scarce, the content they impart is dense and intricate. However, I made some enlightening discoveries along my reading journey that will mark me forever, echoing back my own thoughts while subtly distorting them with more hopeful undertones…
I’ll leave this off with one of my favourite quotes: “There is no sun without shadow, and it is essential to know the night. The absurd man says yes and his efforts will henceforth be unceasing”…
challenging
hopeful
informative
reflective
fast-paced
challenging
hopeful
informative
reflective
medium-paced
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
camus i love you! “why should it be essential to love rarely in order to love much?”