Embracing Absurdism
The incessant void is preluding. The void is the only constant and the it makes the only promise that is always fulfilled. The promise of suffering. To suffer is to be human, to entrench the chaos is to be human and to wake up every day promising yourself to fight harder is to be human. Suffering makes us human.
But we don’t want to suffer. The sole purpose we give to ourselves each day is to avoid Suffering. But it can not be avoided, it can not be lessened and it can not be ignored. It can only be embraced. Albert Camus, one of the most famous philosophers, tries to tell us throughout his life to not run away from suffering but to find a solace in it. His books ‘The Stranger’ and ‘The Myth of Sisyphus’ have had a huge impact on me.
In ‘The Stranger’, Camus narrates a story of a man who is indifferent and unaffected by his surroundings. And this not an underplay of a plot but I don’t want to give it away if you decide to read it. The man is extremely unbothered by anything and does not change his beliefs to get away even from a death sentence. Camus conveys the idea of chaos not changing a man here because the man has adapted to all degrees of it, he has subverted all authority has deemed himself hermit of sorts.
On the other hand, in ‘The Myth of Sisyphus’ Camus takes it up a notch explores the idea that if life is inherently meaningless, why not just commit Suicide and get it over with! He explores this via an angle of the Greek mythological story of Sisyphus who is destined to push a boulder up a hill and make it stay as a part of his punishment for hedonistic behaviour while he was alive. But as soon as he reaches the top, the boulder rolls down the other side and he has to do it all over again. All in all, he is meant to do this for eternity. Again, I urge you to read the book as I have butchered the fantastic book for the sake of making a stark point.
As compared to Nihilism and Existentialism, Absurdism has a wider view point towards life. Here, life is meant to chaotic (as accepted in Nihilism) and there are things to do to give it a meaning (as in Existentialism). But the key difference in Absurdism is that here, nothing matters. Even if one does something well, it won’t affect his fate to much of a degree than if one wouldn’t. But one should do it anyway without attaching self to the result. I know it becomes a little convergent here with Bhagwat Gita and I find it amusing too.
The only way to live peacefully is to embrace the Chaos. To tell yourself that whatever happens, the only way to move is forward. And no number of setbacks or successes matter in the long run. If you face a setback, it’s okay because you understand the philosophy of the Absurd and if life doesn’t make you suffer and you’re among the chosen few, well then, go on, have your momentary joyless fun. But I say it again, everything is MEANINGLESS. And Our Lives have no meaning.
Do I regret treading the alleys of Philosophy? Yes.
Had I regretted if I had not walked down this path? Yes.
If given a chance, would I do it all over again? Yes.
