The Myth of Sisyphus, written by Albert Camus in 1941, is a largely popular existentialist work which paved the path for the rise of absurdism. The philosophical essay is an attempt to grapple with the human capability (or lack thereof) to find meaning in a seemingly meaningless, infinitely vast universe. Camus refers to this as the “Absurd.” More specifically, this work is about man’s interaction with the world in relation to the absurd.

I don’t know whether this world has a meaning the transcends it. But I know that I cannot know that meaning and that it is impossible for me just now to know it.

― Albert Camus

The original myth of Sisyphus is as follows: Sisyphus is a man who lived a life of sin, and as a result, was punished by the gods. He was to push a rock to the top of the hill each day, yet as he reached the top, the boulder was to roll back down, and he was to begin again the next day. Sisyphus was banished to this unavoidable, meaningless task for eternity.

Camus believes the story of Sisyphus to be representative of the human condition as he hates death and is banished to forever put his all into a meaningless task.

Camus relates this to the men of his time through the common experience of those who are faced with daily repetition of something they struggle to find meaning in. Mindless repetition of a routine is easy to fall into: “Rising, streetcar, four hours in the office or the factory, meal, streetcar, four hours of work, meal, sleep”. We can find a similar experience today, with the monotony of corporate work. Many workers find themselves trapped in a job they find meaningless, with seemingly no way out, resembling the situation of Sisyphus. Additionally, the modern man seeks wealth, status symbols, and material goods. However, if lacking true connection and meaning, this can be a futile and empty pursuit, again, analogous to Sisyphus’ task.

Camus poses solutions to this in his work which can be boiled down into: embracing and taking responsibility for one’s moral choices, embracing authenticity and freedom and embracing the present moment.

To refute inherent meaning in the universe and embrace the absurd, one must take full responsibility for their morality and the ethics of each of their choices. This is because upon embracing the absurd and deciding for yourself the universe is devoid of meaning, you dismiss any chance of a higher power and their moral code, along with the idea of an objective code of morality. Camus argues this can be liberating, as we are free to decide our own moral code based on our own experience. However, it also comes with great responsibility and accountability. Since, one can’t count on predetermined rules or refer to a higher power for decisions, one must count on their own reasoning and critical thinking ability.

Camus’ philosophy carries that human meaning is not predetermined. As a result, man has the liberty to sculpt his own meaning, done most efficiently through embracing this thought. He believes we can do this in a number of ways. Firstly: continuous self examination. Living authentically means one must relentlessly face uncomfortable truths about their own existence and reality. Secondly: rejecting conformity. “The only way to deal with an unfree world is to become so absolutely free that your very existence is an act of rebellion.” If one falls into conformity, they aren’t truly free. Thirdly: embracing presence. Camus believes presence, and the savoring of it, is an answer to the trap of attempting to cling to permanence and fleeting meaning.

We all are forced to carry the burden of absurdity, weighing us down eternally, just as Sisyphus watched the boulder roll down the hill. However, if we embrace a life of authenticity, accepting the absurd, we can find meaning and fulfillment in pushing the boulder up the hill, turning our perpetual struggle into a testament to the indomitable human spirit. Therefore, one must imagine Sisyphus happy.