Camus the Search for Meaning Essay

" By imagining Sisyphus happy, it then becomes possible to find our own happiness in no matter what situation.

Camus begins his argument with a powerful statement about suicide, noting that it is the most important of all philosophical problems. The question of suicide cuts to the core of whether life has any meaning. If life has no meaning then it only makes sense to end the life, and seek meaning elsewhere. Camus claims that accepting absurdity negates the function of suicide, and renders suicide itself an absurdity. To commit suicide is no different than perpetuating blind and useless faith in an abstract God. Both acts entail surrendering the personal will. Suicide and blind faith both deny personal responsibility and instead project and expect meanings onto the universe. Camus' argument is self-empowering. Instead of having faith or hope, holding out for the revelation of true meaning, the individual has the opportunity to reach enlightenment in the present moment.Imagining Sisyphus happy is a bold mental step, and can be a paradigm shift. Taking personal responsibility means transforming one's perspective by embracing the absurd.

One of the strongest points in Camus' the Myth of Sisyphus is the explanation of what an individual can do with knowledge of the absurd. Art is one of the primary suggestions on how to deal with the absurd. Through absurd art, one has the power to help others achieve the same state of mind. The absurd life can also be expressed by comedians, actors, political activists, and even simple hedonists who live life to the fullest in every moment.

Work Cited

Camus, Albert. The Myth of Sisyphus......