Name: The Myth of Sisyphus
Rating: 4.142045454545454 (88 reviews)

Albert Camus

And Other Essays

The Myth of Sisyphus

One of the most influential works of this century, The Myth of Sisyphus and Other Essays is a crucial exposition of existentialist thought. Influenced by works such as Don Juan and the novels of Kafka, these essays begin with a meditation on suicide; the question of living or not living in a universe devoid of order or meaning. With lyric eloquence, Albert Camus brilliantly posits a way out of despair, reaffirming the value of personal existence, and the possibility of life lived with dignity and authenticity.

On my second read, I finally get it. It's a profound essay that ask you to face the central with uncomfy question: "Does the realization that life is meaningless require us to commit suicide?"

Camus describe the Absurd not as thing but a gap, a divorce between the human heart who yearns for meaning and the dense universe that offers you nothing but a silence. Most people live in a repetitive pattern until the question "why" arise and when they realize the universe won't answer that, they face the Absurd.

Camus reject the idea of hope and despair as an act to escape of that tension through: religion or mysticism, political ideologies and physical suicide. He calls these "philosophical suicide" because they kill the intellect to stop the pain of not knowing. 

Since there's no higher meaning to judge what a good life is, Camus suggest we focus on the quantity of experiences through characters like Don Juan, the Actor and the Conqueror as Absurd Man who lived with revolt, liberty and passion.

I'm not entirely agree on the 'quantity over quality' argument, but Camus is spot on when he calls out moral vanity. “You nowise deserve a privilege on earth and in heaven for having brought to perfection your dear little meek sheep; you nonetheless continue to be at best a ridiculous dear little sheep with horns and nothing more—even supposing that you do not burst with vanity and do not create a scandal by posing as a judge.” It felt like a slap for someone who act superior just because they follow the hope (not to mention religion specifically). In real life, even when people act morally, they often become aggressive or judgmental and think their goodness gives them the right to poke others with their horns of self-righteousness. The universe doesn't care if you're a saint. We should stop trying to be perfect for a reward and just be honest about who we are. The saint and sinner are both just humans standing in the same silent rain.

The book concludes that happiness and Absurd are linked, "One must imagine Sisyphus happy" because he has taken ownership of his rock, his own life. It feels like a "self-help" book but with a twist, most gurus tell you to focus on a goal (hope), whereas Camus tells you to focus on the process (the struggle). 

Live in the present without hope or despair and accepting that everything is temporary. You should find beauty in that fact.

On my second read, I finally get it. It's a profound essay that ask you to face the central with uncomfy question: "Does the realization that life is meaningless require us to commit suicide?"

Camus describe the Absurd not as thing but a gap, a divorce between the human heart who yearns for meaning and the dense universe that offers you nothing but a silence. Most people live in a repetitive pattern until the question "why" arise and when they realize the universe won't answer that, they face the Absurd.

Camus reject the idea of hope and despair as an act to escape of that tension through: religion or mysticism, political ideologies and physical suicide. He calls these "philosophical suicide" because they kill the intellect to stop the pain of not knowing. 

Since there's no higher meaning to judge what a good life is, Camus suggest we focus on the quantity of experiences through characters like Don Juan, the Actor and the Conqueror as Absurd Man who lived with revolt, liberty and passion.

I'm not entirely agree on the 'quantity over quality' argument, but Camus is spot on when he calls out moral vanity. “You nowise deserve a privilege on earth and in heaven for having brought to perfection your dear little meek sheep; you nonetheless continue to be at best a ridiculous dear little sheep with horns and nothing more—even supposing that you do not burst with vanity and do not create a scandal by posing as a judge.” It felt like a slap for someone who act superior just because they follow the hope (not to mention religion specifically). In real life, even when people act morally, they often become aggressive or judgmental and think their goodness gives them the right to poke others with their horns of self-righteousness. The universe doesn't care if you're a saint. We should stop trying to be perfect for a reward and just be honest about who we are. The saint and sinner are both just humans standing in the same silent rain.

The book concludes that happiness and Absurd are linked, "One must imagine Sisyphus happy" because he has taken ownership of his rock, his own life. It feels like a "self-help" book but with a twist, most gurus tell you to focus on a goal (hope), whereas Camus tells you to focus on the process (the struggle). 

Live in the present without hope or despair and accepting that everything is temporary. You should find beauty in that fact.

Penguin Modern Classics

one must imagine Sisyphus happy… masterpiece 😞🤚

muskaan bal

hileahrious

This was a tough thing, because I’m still not convinced by Camus’s argument, however... I simply must turn to page 54 and reread:

“It may be thought that suicide follows revolt—but wrongly. For it does not represent the logical outcome of revolt. […] Suicide, like the leap, is acceptance at its extreme.”

So, keep the revolution going, everyone.

Sisifos soyleni

Özgür Özer

Absurd kelimesinin uyumsuz olarak çevirilmesi rahatsız edici.

iamazoo

dare i say...this feels like camus at his most optimistic and uplifting? not complaining though.

Throughout history, some books have changed the world. They have transformed the way we see ourselves - and each other. They have inspired debate, dissent, war and revolution. They have enlightened, outraged, provoked and comforted. They have enriched lives - and destroyed them. Now Penguin brings you the works of the great thinkers, pioneers, radicals and visionaries whose ideas shook civilization and helped make us who we are. Inspired by the myth of a man condemned to ceaselessly push a rock up a mountain and watch it roll back to the valley below, The Myth of Sisyphus transformed twentieth-century philosophy with its impassioned argument for the value of life in a world without religious meaning.

Derek

Alex 

"The Myth of Sisyphus" is a book I picked up as an attempt to find answers, but instead I found a piece of work which provided more or less of a framework for my ... existential crisis, so to speak. It addresses some of the most important aspects of human life, ranging from the temptation of suicide to the illusion of living. If I learned anything at all, it is that "beginning to think is beginning to be undermined". It might sound counterintuitive, but it is one of the truths I learned to tolerate. 

I started reading this book looking for answers, but Camus refrained from offering me such luxurious things. Instead of giving me hope, he took it away, and in an almost barbaric way, yet as gentle as one can be, reminded me that I have no future - and that's probably one way to summarise this book: a reminder that we do not belong to the future, but to the absurdity of our existence. One could attempt to escape it or one could attempt to go on living, but Camus chooses to look for a third way: incorporating the absurd in our daily lives.

My experience with the Absurd is a fairly intimate one, and as I stood there, amidst the darkness of my mind, intimidated by the terror and dread of the Absurd, I learned that the only option I truly have is to accept it. As Camus said, it became a passion, "but whether or not one can live with one's passions [...] that is the whole question". 

If imagining Sisyphus happy is something to live by, I should find my own happiness in this Theatre of the Absurd I am being a part of. After all, I tried for a while now to rationalise the Absurd, yet "the most universal rationalism always stumbles eventually on the irrational of human thought". For now, revolt, freedom and passion are enough. Eventually, though, even embracing the Absurd won't amount to anything in itself.

existentialism is a niche mentality. I get it, but it's hard to imagine leading a life with this obscuring my mind

Xin Ma

heleen de boever

Thought-provoking. Let me stare at the sky for a while now and contemplate the absurdity of life.

hermes

Camus is funny, and he writes like we’re sitting in front of a fire talking over a finger of whisky. I’ll excuse myself and retire when I choose to, and he’ll accept it politely. He offers an alternative to the futile search for meaning in our short lives– simply to live, in revolt of the idea that it can be found. 

Vedat Güven

Varoluşçuluk'tan çok yazarın kendi geliştirdiği absürdlük düşüncesi üzerine bir kitap. Mesela intihar etmeyi anlamsız bir şey olarak görüyor. Nasıl olsa hepimiz öleceğiz, öyleyse intihar, kaçınılmazı hızlandırmaktan baka bir şey değil. İnsan doğası gereği yaşamını sorgular; Camus'a göre varoluşumuzu anlamlandırmak ister. Ancak çoğu zaman arayışımızın cevabını doğada, evrende, yaşamın içinde bulamayız. Yabancı kitabının altyapısı hissediliyor. 

Camus'a göre intihar bir çözüm değildir. Absürt durumu bitirir ama yaşam da biter. Önemli olan iyileşmek değil, dertleriyle yaşamaktır. Hayatı yaşamaya değmeyeceği düşüncesi ile intihar etmek, hayata bir değer vermektir. Ancak yola çıkışımızla çelişen bir durum bu. 

Okumak için emek isteyen bir kitap. Üstüne kötü çeviriyi de ekleyince, hem zor okunuyor, hem zor anlaşılıyor. Kitabın adındaki "söyleni" mit demek. Kitap adının Sisifos Mit'i seçilmemiş olması bile sıkıntıyı gösteriyor.

Kieran Wood

This book is fantastic. It is a very sobering account of the question of why you should bother living. Camus writing is fantastic, and incredibly insightful. His recounting of the absurdity of live, and why one should revel in these absurdities through revolt is really interesting. The way he outlines the human condition is unique, and has a certain charm to it.

My primary complaint with this book is that the prose is written in a somewhat confusing way, and relies heavily on long since outdated alliteration that will go over most people's heads. The book is relatively short, but will take longer than you expect for need of re-reading sections. Overall I would recommend this to anyone who has never read any existential philosophy, and any angsty teen/pre-teens out there.

The Myth of Sisyphus And Other Essays

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