Selection: “The Myth of Sisyphus” by Albert Camus

The French-Algerian philosopher, Albert Camus, wrote this essay in 1942;

moreover, his essay highlights existentialism and absurdism. He stated that people
continuously search for meaning, clarity, and purpose in this life. However, Camus
stated that he find this absurd, for life is essentially meaningless. In this case,
experiencing and understanding existential crisis discourages the idea to resort to
suicide, but rather accept that life is simply a world of nonexistent purpose or meaning.
The moment people accept the absurdity of struggles in life, then they can find
happiness from it. This can go with the quote from Albert Camus, “You will never be
happy if you continue to search for what happiness consists of. You will never live if you
are looking for the meaning of life.”
It is apparent that most people live their life disregarding the idea of death, and
that most people live out their lives to seek for clarity; moreover, most people
experience immense disappointments as they try their utmost best to look for meaning.
When people are unable to find for its purpose and meaning they resort to suicide
because of the feeling of futility, but Albert Camus argues that accepting that life is
mundane, and not as extraordinary as it may seem. The moment people see life in this
way then all the struggles that may come will be faced with less dejection because they
learn to accept that existing in this absurd life comes with struggles. He also claims that
existentialists becomes aware of the meaningless or disarray of existence; hence, the
attempt to search for meaning is utterly meaningless.
Existentialism basically emphasizes the importance of one’s individual choice,
existence, and freedom wherein humans are the captain of their own life. It tackles
human existence, and the sense of no purpose in the existence of the world; hence, it is
exhibits embracing existence (Existentialism, n.d.). Awareness of the absurdity of life
can lead to choices that people can make on how they want to live their life based on
what they learned, and this includes a) make a leap of faith, b) accept the absurd
condition through suicide, c) or embrace and live the meaningless life. Albert Camus is
interested in the pursuit of living a life which he embrace the acceptance of absurd
condition similar to the story of Sisyphus in his essay.
 In my opinion, I agree with Albert Camus that life is indeed absurd, and our
response to this idea depends on how we want to perceive it. Ever since we are a child
we seek for answers or reasons why we exist, and eventually we often find how life is a
complete nothingness. In concluding or seeing life as meaningless allows us to wholly
accept life just the way it is. Furthermore, we can be immensely grateful for everything.
Albert Camus used the myth of Sisyphus to impart his message about absurd
life. Sisyphus was punished to roll the boulder to the hill for eternity, and the idea of him
pushing the rock, falling, and starting over again basically depicts the everyday life. The
boulder or enormous rock symbolizes people’s continuous search for meaning in this
vast and meaningless universe. Moreover, despairing over the condition that life is just
dealing with repetitive struggles and downfall, Camus perceives this differently. He
stated that these struggles can be significant if accept it as our own, and enjoy every bit
of it; hence, he stated in his essay that one must imagine that Sisyphus is happy.
I agree to this essay because it teaches people to be happy despite the chaos
that this world emits. We are so hooked up with our struggles that we begin to think that
life is indeed meaningless when in reality the life we live in is meaningless. The
recognition of this allows us to accept the fate of death, and to acknowledge the
struggles. Thus, to end this people must remember this inspiring quote of Albert Camus,
“The struggle itself towards the heights is enough to fill a man's heart. One must
imagine Sisyphus happy.”

References:
Existentialism. (n.d.). Retrieved May 4, 2020, from
https://www.philosophybasics.com/branch_existentialism.html