3 ms·

When the zeitgeist is overwhelmingly nihilist, dare to be an absurdist.

mapontosevenths 6mo ago
I came here to say this. Once you realize that life has no meaning, except that which we arbitrarily assign, you can only go a few ways with it. Of all the 'ism's you could choose in that moment, absudism is perhaps the least worst. "Credo quia absurdum est."
- thrance 6mo ago
  What you're describing is "existentialism", and Camus's absurdidm is a reaction to it. The difference is subtle, but important to Camus.
  - mapontosevenths 6mo ago
    It's been a very long time since I studied it, so you're likely right... but I thought that existentialism was the problem statement (life has no inherent meaning so we bring our own) and that absurdism and nihilism were both responses to it? My understanding has always been that Absurdism says that while the search for meaning is absurd we should search anyhow if we feel like it (our happy friend Sisyphus). Whereas Nihilism's answer was more along the lines of Bukowski's "Don't Try." They both recognize that Sisyphus's job is pointless, but the absurdists suggest we keep pushing the boulder anyhow. Am I missing something?
    - thrance 6mo ago
      My own understanding is: all three of existentialism, nihilism and absurdism are responses to the same question (that of the meaning of life). All three agree on the fact that there is no inherent, "natural" meaning. Nihilism gives you nothing more. Absurdism claims you must embrace this lack of meaning and thrive in spite of it. Existentialism claims you can create your own. Camus thought Existentialism was "cheating" and trying to deny the correct conclusion that life is meaningless. Also, he diskliked Sartre a lot.
svieira 6mo ago
Auberon Quinn, is that you?
- svieira 6mo ago
  > But let me give you a very serious warning. Be careful how you ask me to do anything outré, to imitate the man in the pantomime, and to sit on my hat. Because I am a man whose soul has been emptied of all pleasures but folly. And for twopence I'd do it." > "Do it, then," said Lambert, swinging his stick impatiently. "It would be funnier than the bosh you and Barker talk." > Quin, standing on the top of the hill, stretched his hand out towards the main avenue of Kensington Gardens. > "Two hundred yards away," he said, "are all your fashionable acquaintances with nothing on earth to do but to stare at each other and at us. We are standing upon an elevation under the open sky, a peak as it were of fantasy, a Sinai of humour. We are in a great pulpit or platform, lit up with sunlight, and half London can see us. Be careful how you suggest things to me. For there is in me a madness which goes beyond martyrdom, the madness of an utterly idle man. https://www.gutenberg.org/files/20058/20058-h/20058-h.htm https://www.gutenberg.org/files/20058/20058-h/20058-h.htm
mamonster 6mo ago
Absurdism (of the Camus variety) is boomer nihilism.

I came here to say this. Once you realize that life has no meaning, except that which we arbitrarily assign, you can only go a few ways with it. Of all the 'ism's you could choose in that moment, absudism is perhaps the least worst. "Credo quia absurdum est."

thrance 6mo ago
What you're describing is "existentialism", and Camus's absurdidm is a reaction to it. The difference is subtle, but important to Camus.
- mapontosevenths 6mo ago
  It's been a very long time since I studied it, so you're likely right... but I thought that existentialism was the problem statement (life has no inherent meaning so we bring our own) and that absurdism and nihilism were both responses to it? My understanding has always been that Absurdism says that while the search for meaning is absurd we should search anyhow if we feel like it (our happy friend Sisyphus). Whereas Nihilism's answer was more along the lines of Bukowski's "Don't Try." They both recognize that Sisyphus's job is pointless, but the absurdists suggest we keep pushing the boulder anyhow. Am I missing something?
  - thrance 6mo ago
    My own understanding is: all three of existentialism, nihilism and absurdism are responses to the same question (that of the meaning of life). All three agree on the fact that there is no inherent, "natural" meaning. Nihilism gives you nothing more. Absurdism claims you must embrace this lack of meaning and thrive in spite of it. Existentialism claims you can create your own. Camus thought Existentialism was "cheating" and trying to deny the correct conclusion that life is meaningless. Also, he diskliked Sartre a lot.

svieira 6mo ago

Auberon Quinn, is that you?

svieira 6mo ago
> But let me give you a very serious warning. Be careful how you ask me to do anything outré, to imitate the man in the pantomime, and to sit on my hat. Because I am a man whose soul has been emptied of all pleasures but folly. And for twopence I'd do it." > "Do it, then," said Lambert, swinging his stick impatiently. "It would be funnier than the bosh you and Barker talk." > Quin, standing on the top of the hill, stretched his hand out towards the main avenue of Kensington Gardens. > "Two hundred yards away," he said, "are all your fashionable acquaintances with nothing on earth to do but to stare at each other and at us. We are standing upon an elevation under the open sky, a peak as it were of fantasy, a Sinai of humour. We are in a great pulpit or platform, lit up with sunlight, and half London can see us. Be careful how you suggest things to me. For there is in me a madness which goes beyond martyrdom, the madness of an utterly idle man. https://www.gutenberg.org/files/20058/20058-h/20058-h.htm https://www.gutenberg.org/files/20058/20058-h/20058-h.htm

mamonster 6mo ago

Absurdism (of the Camus variety) is boomer nihilism.