More that a half century ago, Albert Camus, wrote his famous essay, Le Mythe de Sisyphe. In this essay he looks at the futility and absurdity of life in the face of inevitable death and the solace that might be found in such a predicament. Sisyphus was a character in Greek Mythology, who because of his treacherous nature, was condemned by the Gods to be blinded and to spend eternity rolling a giant boulder up to the top of a mountain only to have it roll back to the bottom and have to start all over again.
Camus decides that the best way to face such a predicament was in the decision as to how to react to these circumstances
"I leave Sisyphus at the foot of the mountain! One always finds one's burden again. But Sisyphus teaches the higher fidelity that negates the gods and raises rocks. He too concludes that all is well. This universe henceforth without a master seems to him neither sterile nor futile. Each atom of that stone, each mineral flake of that night filled mountain, in itself forms a world. The struggle itself toward the heights is enough to fill a man's heart. One must imagine Sisyphus happy."
My life is spent walking on the high wire between chance and calculation. One must imagine me to be happy.
17 comments:
Very well said.
I myself am at the bottom of the mountain today, and can't even attempt to think about smiling.
Mary, I hope things pick up for you.
Very good post. So true. I am often teetering. Mine is more like a pyramid, impossible to climb unless I have help.
Yaya, thanks.
Camus...one of my favorites in a long list.
And I shall imagine you as such, as I do for myself.
The Admiral
If not for the rock and the mountain, what would I have?
Little reason to go on, I think.
I spend a lot of my time trying to push folks up the hill.
You truly have to decide for yourself to be happy.
I was having the same epiphany this afternoon while walking through the back streets of my town.
All of life is a struggle to reach our goals. It would be a pity if the struggle wasn't a happy one.
ah, Camus is a bit grim perhaps.
Jane, I guess that is the essential question.
hit40, I agree with this.
gw, it is a worthy thing to contemplate.
debbie, I guess that is the basis of existential angst really.
I depressed many people in my long existential phase.
ah
ah, I think existentailism does not have to be depressing.
Nonetheless, those to whom I said the most complained of finding my sharing depressing. :-)
hmm ... if that feeling is happiness, i think i might have just had a short episode. it was sad-ish satisfying feeling.
ah, I guess from an existentialist point of view they would since they could not possibly understand your experience.
aafrica, wabi-sabi
Ooof!
i forgot to say, i don't think i'm eager to experience it again. i prefer the wholesome, old fashioned happiness.
Post a Comment