The Myth of Sisyphus

“There is but one truly serious philosophical problem, and that is suicide.”

Whether life is worth pursuing must be answered before any other philosophical question. The nature of the universe is moot if existing in it isn’t worthwhile. Thus, the question remains whether it’s possible to thrive in a meaningless world.

“Beginning to think is beginning to be undermined.”

People who think carefully often discover that the pieties on which they’ve been nourished are empty and without value, especially in explaining the often-random tragedies that afflict everyone. Pondering the absurdities of life, especially losses that seem unbearable, can be dangerous, since the process sometimes pushes people toward the edge of death.

“You continue making the gestures commanded by existence for many reasons, the first of which is habit. Dying voluntarily implies that you have recognized, even instinctively, the ridiculous character of that habit, the absence of any profound reason for living, the insane character of that daily agitation, and the uselessness of suffering.” 

Suicide serves as a confession that life has become meaningless and, finally, too burdensome. One suddenly feels like a stranger in the universe. It’s an understandable response to a profound sense of the hopelessness and absurdity of life. However, Camus insists it’s possible to face that absurdity and still live vibrantly.