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4.06 AVERAGE
4.06 AVERAGE
slow-paced
I give this around a 3.7* Interesting insights in the realm of existential philosophy. While there were some great thoughts, I found them slightly drowned out by points/run-on thought trains that didn't productively contribute as much as the others. But Camus's attempt to tie man's existential struggle with one that finds meaning/purpose in the struggle is an interesting one. Though I don't believe Sisyphus is actually as happy as Camus concludes by the end.
reflective
slow-paced
The essays of Camus feel convoluted and sometimes it just seems like he's from another world. Yet other times his thoughts and impressions of the world seem familiar and comforting. I found it difficult to read, it took me several reads to understand the meaning of some sentences, and I still don't think I got all of them right. But I come away with a lot of reflections on my own life, a better understanding of his philosophy, an impression of Algeria as he's seen it. Overall, I think this book has a lot to offer. Despite the difficulties, I loved reading it.
a veces hay que ponerle un moño coquette a la roca y seguir
It is always with a sense of trepidation that I approach reading Albert Camus. It’s a trepidation that I am absolutely not going to have the cognitive capacity to comprehend his words, sentences, paragraphs and overall messages. “The Myth of Sisyphus” is one of those such books and having read it, I can hardly even articulate the profound thoughts within.
For this reason I’m not going to ascribe a rating to this book. For me it’s unratable and to assign a star rating doesn’t feel right. Is it a three star because I struggled with it or a 5 star because it is profound and provocative?
This book is almost a meditation of the concept of the ‘absurd’. The ideas that I take from this book are firstly that life in and of itself is somewhat absurd. To imagine that somehow life has a meaning that transcends itself, beyond the here and now and the monotony of breath after breath is absurd. The fact that we human beings organise ourselves with such seriousness to perpetuate ourselves for essentially a meaningless existence is the absurd. And to be honest somewhat depressing which emanates from that space of anticipating that life should have meaning which in itself is absurd... and the cycle continues.
At the simplistic level that is all I am capable of understanding this work, and on face value I have often wondered about the meaningless drudgery of day in day out existence. The actual Myth of Sisyphus is the case in point.. we all have our rocks that we put so much effort into only to have them roll back down that hill constantly. I can get myself so caught up in the seriousness of life, the need to make meaning of everything and then to get myself quite stressed out when things are not as I think they ought. Is this not indeed absurd?
Camus’ book essentially tells me not to take it all so seriously, to live in and for the moment and series of moments and to make my own meaning that serves me as I need. I’m not sure if that’s what he was really saying but that it something I’m taking away from it.
There are a number of Camus’ short essays following the main essay The Myth of Sisyphus in the penguin version of this book that I managed to get my hands on. I’ve got to say, these are quite light in comparison to the main essay and are somewhat poetic and lyrical, still with Camus’ underpinning depth of thought. In particular I was drawn to “Return to Tipasa”, and the melancholy of returning to a place of memories from yesteryears and the evocative nature of such a return.
For this reason I’m not going to ascribe a rating to this book. For me it’s unratable and to assign a star rating doesn’t feel right. Is it a three star because I struggled with it or a 5 star because it is profound and provocative?
This book is almost a meditation of the concept of the ‘absurd’. The ideas that I take from this book are firstly that life in and of itself is somewhat absurd. To imagine that somehow life has a meaning that transcends itself, beyond the here and now and the monotony of breath after breath is absurd. The fact that we human beings organise ourselves with such seriousness to perpetuate ourselves for essentially a meaningless existence is the absurd. And to be honest somewhat depressing which emanates from that space of anticipating that life should have meaning which in itself is absurd... and the cycle continues.
At the simplistic level that is all I am capable of understanding this work, and on face value I have often wondered about the meaningless drudgery of day in day out existence. The actual Myth of Sisyphus is the case in point.. we all have our rocks that we put so much effort into only to have them roll back down that hill constantly. I can get myself so caught up in the seriousness of life, the need to make meaning of everything and then to get myself quite stressed out when things are not as I think they ought. Is this not indeed absurd?
Camus’ book essentially tells me not to take it all so seriously, to live in and for the moment and series of moments and to make my own meaning that serves me as I need. I’m not sure if that’s what he was really saying but that it something I’m taking away from it.
There are a number of Camus’ short essays following the main essay The Myth of Sisyphus in the penguin version of this book that I managed to get my hands on. I’ve got to say, these are quite light in comparison to the main essay and are somewhat poetic and lyrical, still with Camus’ underpinning depth of thought. In particular I was drawn to “Return to Tipasa”, and the melancholy of returning to a place of memories from yesteryears and the evocative nature of such a return.
challenging
inspiring
reflective
challenging
medium-paced
challenging
informative
The story of the myth of sisyphus itself was interesting. The essay on it was a bit difficult to understand at some parts but overall was pretty profound and has me interested in reading more on existentialism and absurdism.
challenging
reflective
slow-paced