In a futile and absurd world, where chaos seems to reign supreme and meaning often eludes our grasp, there exists a man. This man, in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds and a lack of any glimmer of hope, stands firm. He refuses to be defeated by the circumstances that surround him.

Despite the futility that pervades his existence, he finds strength within himself. He understands that hope may be a fleeting concept, but it is not the only measure of his worth. He is determined to carve out his own path, to make a mark in this absurd world, even if it means going against the grain.

His spirit is unyielding, like a warrior who continues to fight long after the battle seems lost. He knows that defeat is not an option, for to give up would be to surrender to the meaninglessness that threatens to consume him. And so, he persists, in a world that may never understand his unwavering resolve.

This man without hope is, in fact, the embodiment of victory. For in his refusal to be defeated, he has triumphed over the very forces that seek to break him. He is a testament to the indomitable human spirit, a symbol of perseverance in the face of the most inhospitable conditions.

One of the most beloved pieces of terrible literature ever produced is truly a curious case.

It reads as if it were penned by an edgy 14-year-old, lacking in substance and depth. In fact, it says hardly anything of significance. Half of it seems to be nothing more than posturing towards other mediocre authors, as if trying to assert some sort of superiority that is not really there.

From the very outset to the bitter end, Camus, whether he intends to or not, serves to justify and defend the monotony and alienation of Capitalism. His work, instead of challenging the status quo, seems to accept and even embrace the harsh realities of a capitalist society.

This may be a reflection of the times in which he was writing, but it also raises questions about the true value and purpose of literature. Should it simply mirror the world as it is, or should it strive to inspire change and a better future?

These are important considerations as we continue to explore and analyze the works of Camus and other literary figures.

I'll admit that philosophy isn't my forte.

I ventured into The Myth of Sisyphus because The Stranger was one of the books that shook me the most during my high school years, leaving me with a strong desire to read more of Camus. Several years later, I finally chose this book.

This was an extremely tough book to tackle. It took me almost six months to read its 153 pages.

Camus delves deep into the absurdity of the human condition. He points out that men keep on going, as if death isn't an absolute certainty. Men constantly seek an explanation for life, but the universe remains silent and offers no answer.

Men strive to solve this absurdity, and Camus poses a profound question: is the logical solution suicide? He argues that it is only when a man becomes aware of this absurdity that he himself becomes absurd. However, this doesn't imply that he is hopeless or devoid of joy.

Sisyphus, for instance, is able to find joy in his life. When he gains consciousness during his descent into his daily meaningless task and takes control of his destiny, he discovers a sense of purpose. Camus demands rebellion, creativity, and passion from us.

Regrettably, I couldn't understand much of the text, which is rather disappointing. As a result, this book now sits on my "to read again" shelf. Therefore, for now, I end this review.

There is some quite beautiful essays later in this.

They share the philosophical bent of the title piece while being much more accessible generally. So all those later parts I'd give 4-stars.

The main essay, though, putting aside my feelings towards the idea it's trying to express, is just so difficult to parse. I haven't found something this hard to decipher since I first started Shakespeare in school.

I mean the general premise I got and the gist of paragraphs or at least pages, but on a sentence to sentence basis it was such a struggle. Still, there are some thought-provoking moments here and there, but 2-stars for difficulty, whether it was the original text or translation.

So 3 stars averaging out.

I started the afterword but didn't read the whole thing. I don't need another person's opinion of how I should be judging something. It seems that the book has its strengths and weaknesses. The later essays are engaging and easy to understand, offering valuable insights. However, the main essay presents a significant challenge, making it a laborious read. Despite this, the thought-provoking moments scattered throughout do add some value. Overall, the 3-star rating seems appropriate, considering the mix of accessible and difficult content.

I have a significant issue with this book.

If I had expected him to simply state: "The little boy waited at the bus stop for the bus to take him to school." Instead, he would go on to say something completely different.

"The plump little boy over there, donning blue jeans shorts and a green striped t-shirt, is engaged in some activity. He is lugging a small backpack. One can only wonder what lies within it. Some individuals carry backpacks stuffed with food, others with books and papers, and yet others with clothes. Some backpacks are crafted from cotton, while others are made of polyester, and of course, there are those made from other materials as well. I have a personal preference for the cotton ones as they seem to be more resilient and can be effortlessly tossed into the laundry if the need arises.

There is a bus approaching. The bus is yellow and black and appears to have words inscribed on it. Come to think of it, is that truly a bus? Just because something glitters doesn't mean it's gold, so why should everything that looks like a bus actually be a bus? Where does this bus lead? Is that little boy indeed waiting for the bus? There seems to be a sign above the little boy's head. If one examines it closely, one will discover words on it too. It reads: "bus stop". Why is the little boy standing beneath that sign? The bus has now arrived.

Did you know that a tomato is, in fact, a fruit and not a vegetable? No? Not many people are aware of this. Does the tomato itself even know this? Does the tomato care? I wonder if it is troubled by this fact. No one knows how a tomato came into being and why it was initially classified as a vegetable. I don't understand why people still include it in their salad and not in their fruit salad. I'm curious to know how dictionaries define tomatoes nowadays. We must consult the Merriam-Webster dictionary to find out.

The boy boarded the bus, the bus which may or may not be a genuine bus and which has a destination. The little boy, too, has a destination, for what is life if one doesn't have a purpose? He would be leading a rather sorrowful life if he didn't have one. What exactly is life, anyway? I wonder if it holds the same meaning for me as it does for the little boy, journeying somewhere on the yellow and black bus. I've witnessed numerous little boys carrying backpacks at this time of day, on their way to school. Maybe that's where the little boy is headed. I believe that's where the little boy is going, with his little backpack."

Albert Camus has masterfully captured the internal turmoil that plagues a significant portion of the modern world.

When an individual commences to question the monotony of their reality, striving to unearth the meaning concealed behind the daily rituals of life yet finding none, they are led to contemplate that vast void. Camus intimates that were one to earnestly consider “nothing,” it would be the realization of the futility of most inquiries in life. He illustrates this with the example of the earth revolving around the sun. People have lived and perished in the pursuit of this knowledge, yet both the question and the answer hold little significance. This is because we exist within the framework of man-made social structures and norms that are ephemeral and will one day be transformed, replaced, or simply vanish.

The insignificance of human life in contrast to the infinite expanse of space and the abstract concept of time, which governs humanity, is the idea that can materialize in the minds of individuals and give rise to absurdity. He posits that suicide is tantamount to a confession that life is not worth living. He connects this confession to what he terms the “feeling of absurdity.” Generally, we navigate through life with a sense of meaning and purpose, believing that we act for noble and profound reasons. However, at times, for some at least, we may come to perceive our daily lives as being predominantly dictated by the forces of habit. This raises the following question: if one feels that the essence of freedom is lost in a robotic existence, then to a certain extent, all of our actions and the reasons behind them become pointless, with a feeling of absurdity associated with meaninglessness, which in turn can lead to death by one's own hand.

The book delves deeply into the concept of “absurdity,” which forms the backbone of the work yet is never fully elucidated with clarity. It is无疑 an essential read for those interested in nihilism, as the alternative and rather optimistic perspective on the concept is enlightening and contrary to the common belief that it is synonymous with pessimism. In simple terms, Camus implies that we begin to live before the habit of deep thinking takes hold, thereby evading the consequences of the meaningless nature of life through what he calls an “act of eluding.” We choose not to dwell on the absurd because our nature is founded on hopes and dreams of a meaningful life rather than confronting the implications of staring into the void.

One of the main attributes employed throughout his fiction, that of “exile,” is also prominently featured as a comparison in this essay. No one other than Camus could have penned this work. As soon as you enter his world, the world around you fades into the background. The work concludes with a discussion of the myth of Sisyphus. According to the Greek myth, Sisyphus was condemned to an eternity of rolling a rock up a mountain only to have it roll back down when he reaches the summit. Sisyphus, the absurd hero, and his punishment are emblematic of the human condition. He must perpetually struggle without the hope of success. Camus contends that as long as he accepts that there is nothing more to life than this absurd struggle, he can find happiness within it. It is a thought-provoking book that is not meant for a casual read. It is perhaps best suited for die-hard Camus fans and those studying Existentialism or philosophy.

The author's encounter with Camus' "The Myth of Sisyphus" was disturbing. Camus' view on absurdity and freedom is similar to egoistic hedonism. Existentialism of this kind is as hedonistic as egoistic hedonism in ethics. The author believes Camus' philosophy lacks love and compares it to learned helplessness. Love is a biological need for humans and primates. Our yearning for belongingness is based on this animal inheritance. In the absence of love, people become alienated and lose access to meaningfulness. Depression follows, and people may cling to brute pleasures. Camus urges embracing absurdity, but the author disagrees, advocating for a better future where children lack less love. The author claims the meaning of life is part of our animal inheritance of belonging. Concepts supporting egoistic hedonism and individualistic existentialism are contingent. Traditional societies may have brainwashed us into intrinsic meaning, but nihilism and hedonism are not the hard truth. The author rejects this objection, stating that many logically possible things should not be taken seriously. In conclusion, our alienating experiences make egoistic hedonism and existentialism compelling. In a better world, these false philosophies would not exist or be absurd. The popularity of Camus' work reflects and reinforces the assumptions that keep us estranged from our nature.

I firmly believe that everyone who has engaged in discussions or written about what this book, specifically its eponymous essay, conveys and is about must be basing their analysis on something other than the actual text.

Perhaps Camus himself attempted to elucidate it to someone in a letter or some such medium. Or maybe an early, enthusiastic philosopher or literary analyst was in search of something profound and meaningful from the highly esteemed Camus, and in some way, a myth about the Myth of Sisyphus came into being.

Because when I perused it, it was nothing more than a jumble of convoluted verbiage and very little of the deep and incisive contemplation on the absurdity of existence that it was promised to me.

It seemed as if the true essence and significance of the essay had been lost in translation or misinterpreted along the way.

Maybe I need to reread it with a more open and discerning mind, or perhaps there is something I am simply not grasping.

Nonetheless, my initial impression was one of disappointment and confusion, rather than the profound enlightenment that I had expected.

In this philosophical essay, Camus presents and defends his profound philosophical school of thought, namely the philosophy of the absurd.

The philosophy of the absurd delves into the question of man's fruitless search for meaning in a world that lacks eternity. He poses the presupposition: Does the awareness of the absurdity of life imply that suicide is the optimal choice for mankind? Throughout the essay, he arrives at the conclusion that suicide is not the best option; rather, it is revolt.

This is truly such a captivating review of existentialism and the meaninglessness of life. It leaves the reader with the thought (to be dealt with as one wishes) - "What counts is not the best living but the most living."

The last chapter pertains to the actual myth, which is sourced from Wikipedia.

In the final chapter, Camus delineates the legend of Sisyphus, who defied the gods and bound Death so that no human had to die. When Death was ultimately released and it was Sisyphus' turn to die, he devised a deception that enabled him to escape from the underworld. Eventually recaptured, the gods determined his punishment: for all eternity, he would have to push a rock up a mountain; upon reaching the top, the rock would roll down again, and Sisyphus would have to begin anew. Camus views Sisyphus, who lives life to the fullest, despises death, and is condemned to a meaningless task, as the absurd hero.

Camus presents Sisyphus' unceasing and pointless labor as a metaphor for modern lives spent engaged in futile jobs in factories and offices. "The workman of today works every day in his life at the same tasks, and this fate is no less absurd. But it is tragic only at the rare moments when it becomes conscious."

Camus is intrigued by Sisyphus' thoughts as he descends the mountain to commence anew. This is the tragic moment when the hero becomes cognizant of his wretched condition. He has no hope, but "There is no fate that cannot be surmounted by scorn." Acknowledging the truth will conquer it; Sisyphus, like the absurd man, persists in pushing. Camus contends that Sisyphus is truly happy precisely because the futility of his task is beyond dispute: the certainty of Sisyphus' fate liberates him to recognize the absurdity of his plight and to carry out his actions with contented acceptance, which Camus argues is a form of true happiness. With a nod to the similarly cursed Greek hero Oedipus, Camus concludes that "all is well."

We must imagine grad students happy.

Graduate students are an important part of the academic community. They are pursuing advanced degrees and conducting research in their respective fields.

However, the journey of a grad student can be challenging and stressful. They often face heavy workloads, tight deadlines, and financial pressures.

Despite these difficulties, it is important to imagine grad students happy. Happiness can have a positive impact on their academic performance, mental health, and overall well-being.

We can imagine grad students finding joy in their research, collaborating with their peers, and receiving recognition for their work.

We can also imagine them taking breaks to pursue their hobbies, spending time with their families and friends, and enjoying the simple pleasures of life.

By imagining grad students happy, we can create a more positive and supportive environment for them to thrive in.

The only truly serious philosophical problem is that of suicide. Everything else, such as whether the mind has 2 or 16 dimensions, or whether the red I see is the same as the red you see, are merely games.

This is the starting point for Camus' exploration. Life is absurd. It is absurd because human beings search for reason, unity, and meaning in a universe that essentially has none. Now that the absurd has been exposed, the question arises: is life worth living?

It is a fascinating and fundamental query that, in the hands of a more skilled writer, could have been truly earth-shattering. However, the problem is that Camus is a typical French intellectual. He is in love with his own importance, name-dropping philosophers left and right who are only tangentially related to his argument, and is needlessly verbose. This kind of sloppy writing is completely irresponsible. After all, existentialism is a revolt against the ineffectual abstractions of 'traditional philosophy' with its epistemology, logic, and metaphysics. It was a philosophy designed to return the focus solely to the human individual and his life. To disregard the importance of his subject and write as if he were writing an advanced college-level course on modal logic is a betrayal. When reading Camus, one wishes for Nietzsche's prose. Now, there was a philosopher who could write.

To be honest, the Sparknotes of this book do a much better job of conveying what the author is trying to say. Even the Wikipedia page is not that bad.

Sitting at my desk in my former marketing job, spending the entire day creating memes for a nipple ring company, feels exactly like being trapped in hell.

It's as if I'm doomed to roll an unbelievably heavy rock up a hill every single day, without any rhyme or reason.

The monotony and lack of purpose in this task are truly soul-crushing.

There's no sense of fulfillment or achievement, just a never-ending cycle of mindless work.

I often find myself daydreaming about a different kind of job, one that offers more meaning and excitement.

But for now, I'm stuck in this hellish routine, counting down the minutes until I can escape and find something better.