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Camus's Myth of Sisyphus | A History of Philosophy
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- čas přidán 15. 06. 2019
- Ever wondered what "absurdism" is, and how it differs from existentialism? Do you want to know who Albert Camus was and why he was so famous? In this video I share a simplified account of the philosophy of Camus in his book The Myth of Sisyphus, covering the main points of the text. But it doesn't stop there, let's keep the discussion going in the comments!
Post-script:
I hope you enjoyed the video! I realize now (after the video has already taken multiple hours to upload) that I've misrepresented/ neglected to mention a crucial point of the text which is essentially the point on freedom. ٍِRebellion for Camus entails the freedom to establish a new mindset about the futility of life, as one of unique and valuable existence, (p. 52-55, 63), contradicting my point that "rebellion is our only choice" or that the reasoning is simply "rebel because why not". However, I phrased it that way in the video because I am personally not convinced of this definition of freedom. In my reading of Camus, "rebellion" is not a condition of freedom but one of necessity; if life is absurd and we don't want to avoid it entirely by ending our life, then it's really our only option to keep going. Calling that "rebellion" or absurd freedom is just a turn of phrase that sounds good, especially in the French. If you're interested in reading about different notions of freedom though not necessarily in relation to French philosophy there's a great article by Isiah Berlin called Two Concepts of Liberty I would recommend. If you're interested in reading more about the role of rhetoric and myth in philosophy, I would recommend you read articles written by Grace Whistler. Links to these further readings in the description.
References:
Albert Camus. The Myth of Sisyphus. (2005). Translated from French by Justin O'Brien. Penguin Great Ideas. London: UK.
Further reading:
Berlin's article on liberty:
cactus.dixie.ed...
Grace Whistler's article on myth in Camus:
www.academia.e...
More articles by Grace Whistler on Philosophy and Literature:
york.academia....
Instagram: @intellectgrime
Read my poetry collection: gumroad.com/l/...
Nobody:
Camus: Yeah you've got depression now, but at least it's your depression
I hope you enjoyed the video! I realize now (after the video has already taken multiple hours to upload) that I've misrepresented/ neglected to mention a crucial point which is essentially the point on freedom. ٍِRebellion for Camus entails the freedom to establish a new mindset about the futility of life, as one of unique and valuable existence, (p. 52-55, 63), contradicting my point that "rebellion is our only choice" or that the reasoning is simply "rebel because why not". However, I phrased it that way in the video because I am personally not convinced of this definition of freedom. In my reading of Camus, "rebellion" is not a condition of freedom but one of necessity; if life is absurd and we don't want to avoid it entirely by ending our life, then it's really our only option to keep going. Calling that "rebellion" or absurd freedom is just a turn of phrase that sounds good, especially in the French. Let me know if you agree with me or not in the comments! Let's keep the discussion going... If you're interested in reading about different notions of freedom though not necessarily in relation to French philosophy there's a great article by Isiah Berlin called Two Concepts of Liberty I would recommend. If you're interested in reading more about the role of rhetoric and myth in philosophy, I would recommend you read articles written by Grace Whistler. Links to these further readings in the description.
Best regards from Islamabad. Wonderful presentation. Heartiest congratulation on your graduation.
*Camus when confronted with the dearth of purpose and the abyss of meaning* - "Yeet"
"When the images of earth cling too tightly to memory, when the call of happiness becomes too insistent, it happens that melancholy arises in man’s heart: this is the rock’s victory"
I think you gave this beautiful book a good go at understanding it. This book moves you first( talking generally) as a product of beautiful style of literary writing. He doesn't proceed systematically to adumbrate his philosophy like Sartre does: Sartre uses reason, the intellect, proceeds case by case and point by point: Sartre is prepared to use ugliness, truth, psychology to make his points.
Camus uses intuition, imagery, myth, the spirit ( why you calling it a spiritual/practical guide was good). Camus even is prepared to use rhetoric to make his cumulative points. At times I think he
gets a little lost in his own rhetoric: Camus was an old fashioned writer ( almost of the 19th century type): he aspires to the unity of reason, not by contradiction, but magic participation, ecstatic union. The Myth of Sisyphus is beautifully written, metaphor takes the place of syllogism, the aesthetic comes before the ethical. Rather than choose suicide or belief in God, man chooses to live life to the fullest. But behind everything Camus writes is balance, equilibrium, a moral sense.
I FIND YOUR HAPPINESS DISTURBING.
I find it absurd ;)
I think this video shows the perfect antidote/ counterpoint to absurdism! Very interesting and engaging to listen to. To bring the topic to life it needs to be told by someone buoyant and jolly sounding I think - well done!
I completed this book a week ago and how you explained it with such simplicity is just amazing.
So glad I found your channel. Not many in my circles have an interest in Camus, or philosophy in general. Nice to be able to listen to you and feel your level of interest in the subject. Crazy thing about yt is the ability to have a conversation with someone you’re not actually interacting with. As you’re speaking, the audience is in the dialogue with you. Agreeing, disagreeing, and considering as you speak. I love it.
Dirty Worka I know! It’s a really amazing medium for philosophical discussion. Glad to have you join the community :)
Just finished this book and been trying to find video essays to help me understand Camus’ idea better since I find The Myth of Sisyphus HARD to understand. I bought the Vintage edition and I thought the difficulty comes from a matter of translation, but I guess this book is pretty hard in general? So thank you for encapsulating his idea! I suppose this is a book we can’t read only once haha
How to reduce suffering is (should be) the primary focus of philosophy
I disagree
Well articulated. Glad I stumbled across your video. 🙂
Great video, thanks for your explanation.
I wish there were videos like this when I was working on my degree in Philosophy...soooo much more helpful and interesting than Cliffs Notes.
Thank you! I definitely felt the same during my undergrad and that's why I started making videos like these. Glad you found it helpful :)
Awesome breakdown and this is why I loved reading the book, first came across it in my Introduction to Philosophy and well I bought it afterwards and just ordered The Stranger.
New to Camus, this video is terrific.
I wonder - I am a year out from acl surgery rehab. And I am so glad I can now kneel on the floor and do housework! Strange what an Injury can do. I never thought I would be ok to do housework- just like sisyphus I now enjoy it cos for a long time I couldn't do it and we had to pay a home help. Sissyphus must have had good knees! Honestly philosophy has helped me for in my recovery - whereas the sports Psychologist wanted £120 an hour.
Proud to be your latest Subscriber. Persevere, Thanks, Best of Luck with Chan.
I enjoyed this video very much. I have found this book very tough to read. I read his Stranger and wanted to read this book. After watching this video I will make an attempt to finishing this book. Thanks :)
I started reading this book a while back. I've only completed the first chapter until now coz I was having a bit of difficulty in understanding the viewpoint and the ideology of the author.
Thank you for this video, I think I will be able to understand and enjoy the book now.
Thank you so much for raising awareness ... his work on The Plague is most relevant,too.
"In a way it's similary to Stoicism."
Oh, thank goodness, as a high school drop out I often am terrified my conclusions are absolutely ridiculous and dumb. I also find it fascinating that, in a way, absurdism is similar to Christianity in that Camus is not considered to be an Absurdist, but is considered to be the founder of Absurdism, the way Jesus wasn't a Christian, but there wouldn't be Christianity without him. I am absolutely obsessed with this idea of "the turn" Sisyphus makes and how we all seem to exist in that moment. Still trying to hunt this book down through my library system as the audiobook puts me to sleep (there's no one to answer when I yell back at it, unlike in lecture.)
It is quite similar to Stoicism, just because Existentialism and Absurdism are dealing with mindsets / how to understand our lived experience in a better way for our mental health. Anyways, I hope you can find a copy in your library... there might be a pdf online though as it's quite an old / famous book so you could try that! Happy reading :)
This is a great summery !
Excellent analysis and presentation!
Thank You for this, Rebellion it shall be
If you’re sentenced to a life of absurdity, your only reaction would be rebellion.
Just say “no” to as many things as you can.
Or have fun with it and ask "why?"
Love how upbeat your are! Maybe a quick run through of the book at the start of the video would be beneficial, then go in depth with the philosophy, more than an overview of the absurdist philosophy or existentialism philosophy. Or both, the overview would be helpful for those who haven’t dealt with these topics before and the in depth would be great for those wanting some analysis of the books content. It would make your video quite long but you’d be surprised how long people will watch for especially when dealing with concepts like these!
Just found your channel and look forward to watching more.
👌
Great feedback, thank you! I will keep this in mind for the next history of philosophy video I film :)
Not to say your advice is bad, it isn't. It's validly constructive and freindly. For me, I liked it's brevity of time and scope due to it just nudging me _enough_ to want to get all the "run through" and "in depth" from the book itself. That is, it served my purposes completely (thus far)! That said, however, I am only speaking for my experience, and agree; there may be far more people interested, or in need of a fuller explainer. That also may be me later!
You gave me such energetic vibes
I am glad I listened. I read The Fall a couple times and still don't know what it's about. "There's a limit to human oppression, which is the dignity common to all men" is from the conclusion of Camus's Man in Revolt which I think is what Albert was about before he passed, when different people said he was about to ditch the absurdism and re-brand.
Easily explained. Enjoyable.Lovely.
Congrats on your accomplishment. In any reasonable philosophical assessment it has real meaning and real value.
Great explanation
Thank you a lot for your videos! Your energy is super contagious and makes the topic that much more fun to learn about. it was a great Help, keep up the great work!
Thank you so much for this. You are very clear and you summarise everything so well. I will buy the book and read it.
Great review. The only thing I would add is to recall the year the book was written. 5:10 it is important to understand that 1942 was during the middle of WW2 and Europe was the epicentre. The book itself was written at a time of global uncertainty. Another great book to read alongside this one is Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl. This would be a good one to review as well. Thanks for your time to make these videos.
That's a really good point! Thank you for sharing, I hadn't considered this but European philosophy was obviously deeply affected by the war, so Absurdism and existentialism as philosophies based in the loss of meaningful external structures make a lot more sense in this context.
If you have something that you really want in your life, spend lots of time reading about it. The more you read the more ideas will pop up the more creative your gonna start to get. Your subreadscious mind doesn't care if your vision is crazy. It doesnt care if you dont know how to do it.
When you see a thing clearly in your mind, your creative "reading mechanism" within you takes over and does the job much better than you could do it by readscious effort or readpower.
A different psychedelic from a different planet every nanosecond.
All sorts of dreams are possible.
The human nervous system cannot tell the difference between an "actual" readxperience and an readxperience imagined vividly and in detail.
Synthesize "experience," to literally create experience, and control it, in the laboratory of our minds.
A vision is a very emotional image, the most powerful image that you can come up with for yourself at this time. This vision will become like a hallucination in other peoples mind and this could be the cause of them creating extraordinary things.
Sisyphus!!! Totally enjoyed it!!! Let's tackle Zeno next!!! (I listen in my studio... I would say art, but it's more of me pushing a stone across the paper 😉)
Nice breakdown of a complex work. How to mentally deal with the Absurd? One word .... equanimity.
I just familiarized myself with the original Greek myth of Sisyphus, essentially he's an evil king, fools the gods, escapes death twice, but is finally apprehended by Zeus..or Hades AND then is sentenced to the boulder up the hill push for all eternity. That's my understanding, if that tracks with the general knowledge? If so it seems the punishment is fitting the crime and the story makes sense and is a bonafide part of Greek philosophy. I'm just so curious how and why Camus took one part of the story (pushing the rock up the hill) and ascribed it as a means to find meaning and rebel against absurdism. It's like he's parsing a great lesson to give a modern audience just a small dose of the greater teaching. It's like saying we all face these meaningless lives that don't matter and the cure is to find meaning in the meaninglessness. It reminds me of the christian myth of original sin, just because we are human there is this innate condition we inherit. Thanks for your content btw!
this was awesomeeee!
Have you read “the book of disquiet” by Fernando Pessoa? It is one or perhaps the most interesting and profound books I have read. Please read and comment it!
I would like for you to teach me more about Camus and your own philosophy about Life living in quarantine and suffering vs not suffering. Thanks. You are an interesting person !
Excellent analysis and presentation.
Thank you!
damn, i nearly bought this book today and put it back on the shelf! i'm going back for it. thank you. 😊
Congrat & Thx.
To be happy, have such a beautiful smile & interested joyfully for Philosophy & Literature in early Age....!!? Wow... !!?. Well done & keep on going strongly😃😃😃.
Love your hair!
This book is recommended for those who cannot accept the meaninglessness of the universe. Camus beautifully explained that it is essential for everyone to accept the meaninglessness to carry on their lives whether they become successful in their life or not.
you are destined to teach english lit. in high school
So... You were able to go through absurdism and existentialism and still smile and be that joyful at the end of the day?? Are you sure you understood the books? Just kidding, loved to see your enjoyment talking about such themes, keep up the good work!!!
Haha, thank you :)
Great idea!
Thanks for the video.
Life is the funny thing that happens to you on the way to the graveyard.......Quentin Crisp / an Englishman in New York 🌦🔔💀
Enjoyed!
Camus is my hero. Life is Janis Ian at Seventeen. One must accept that is sucks and realize that its never going to change. One must accept what is and make the best of it. Its up to the individual not the universe to give life meaning.
Thank you for this!
Legit have a crush (-;
Pesonally i started reading it months ago and it yas to much for me back then. I feel like it was so complex and phylosophycal. It had no story and that bothered me. I feel like you explained it in a very interesting way so i'm going to pick it up again. I left only on page 38. I've read Camus before so i hope i'll like it.
Love the channel!
Thank you!
Perfect 👌
Is the term camus used the absurd man or the absurd hero?
Great thanks. Can you give me the best quotes in the book? Thanks.
Japanese has a word on this constant struggle of perfecting life in face of monotonous and laborious work. I can't remember it. The drudgery of absurdness I think is what camus is talking about. I tried reading the book and it was half depressing and hand have not comprehensible to me perhaps I'm a dunce. Of course life is a struggle but there's always 2 sides to a coin or a sword and it seems like camus is only looking at the bitter side. And what you said about the end is exactly correct that is my rock and my hill and my struggle A lot of eastern philosophy has taken that dad and cultivated a different reflection and meaning. I'm gonna struggle through reading the rest of the book and then do an a review on it as well but probably not as well as you could and I'm probably gonna be all over a mapIn terms of discussing it. Have you ever heard of the Tao te ching. That's one of my favorite philosophy book even though it's not. Thank you and bless up
I think it was slightly frustrating that Camus says life is meaningless and yet still ascribes value to concepts such as heroism and revolt. Also I think he framed Existentialism rather unfairly as being entirely made up of philosophers who lay claim to transcendent objective meanings. You could argue revolt in itself is a form of meaning making. You're judging revolt to be better than the other alternatives. I may be oversimplifying though.
on time for a view but maybe not a congrats but congrats with
school !! it is hell !! currently entering my 5th year for psych 🤢
- clear video thank u, i have smashed that like button
- adding in the page number tags is very helpful :)
- currently trying to read thru Camus' Myth of Sisyphus & struggling
- his writing > most NF literature but UNI beat up my love of reading long ago :/
- started writing on a whim months ago & a friend complimented my poetry for the
underlying yet clear absurdism (?). do u happen to know what makes an absurdist writer ?
- currently up to Camus' argument against the point of Chestov, but i can't quite place his point
u ever thought about maybe a sectional breakdown of philosophy books ?
that's kind of how i discovered this video haha
I love your hair!!
Yes, one of favorite writings on perspectives of reality/realities. Still a rebellion against one's impositions by society? It seems to me a rebellion of self realization towards these illusions of the physical/material constructs......................
Can u tell me that how to approach to a philosophical text and how to analyse it ? I have a huge interest in philosophy, so i think it would be good 😊
Okay, I'll have a think about it and get back to you!
You was always free you just didn't know
Albert Camus is one of my favourite writers. Just one question who is your favorite philosopher??. Well, mine are " Heidegger " , Nietzsche ( only to a certain degree ), Wittgenstein, Sartre ; just to name a few
Ahh love all those philosophers. That is a really massive question though... I really support Jan Zwicky and what she's doing in philosophy these days so she's probably my current favourite. Runners up would be Marcus Aurellius / Zhuang Zhou :)
I deeply appreciate The Fall by Camus.
This is completely off topic to what you’re talking about, but I can’t help but find you beautiful, inside and out.
THANK YOU!!!!!
What a lovely woman. Subbed.
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I was grinning the whole time reading this book, is that a bad thing?
Hahaha, not at all
Great vid!
I was a philosophy major but i switched over to creative writing. I found that despite my move I still found lots of inspiration from Schopenhauer. Any thoughts on him or his work?
I haven't properly explored Schopenhauer to be honest! I've heard mostly great things though, which of his writings is your favourite?
@@intellectgrime i enjoyed studies on pessimism specifically his essay on the suffering of the world. Interesting take on suffering akin to eastern philosophy!
You must consider me happy. And yet, .....I wonder if Camus were alive today and working his craft, would he still consider suicide out of hand? I look at the American prolongation of life to an excessive amount only to fill the money hole of healthcare. Hopefully. we should all be able to choose for ourselves, "To be or not to be?" That is the question...our question.
deep
Intriguing video!
If you don't mind answering, I'd like to know the passages that you thought were relevant and important to tab. I often write in books as well, and it seems everyone has a different set of paragraphs that are special enough to notate, would you mind sharing? Thank you!
Hmm, I'm not sure I've ever thought about this. Usually it's just whatever stands out to me in the moment. But that's not a great answer so I'll have a think and maybe make a whole video about annotating philosophy texts... :)
I would quite like to watch a video on that, but I was looking for specifically any passages in the book you've annotated, as I'm working through it now, and I'm curious if we have any identical things highlighted! Any paragraph or page numbers? lol.
Ah I see. Unfortunately, I don’t currently have the book on me... but like I said, I don’t really have a system and there’s generally no right way to annotate a text. Whatever stands out to you / helps you understand the overall text!
Congrats to getting your degree! What is it in? I’m majoring in philosophy and love existentialism.
Thanks so much! My degree was also in philosophy :)
There is only one serious problem with the myth of sysiphus and that is it isn't longer 😢
Hahah, agreed.
I am going to buy this today ! What are you going to do now your degree is over ? Good luck
KA- brought me here! (hermit and the recluse; Orpheus vs the sirens...)
What is the plural of Sisyphus?
How to start with philosophy as in u know start studying philosophy on ur own but without a degree .what are the books to start with?.
Great question! I might make a whole video answering this question as I get it a lot. One book I’d start with for the time being is Bertrand Russel’s The Problems of Philosophy.
Crash course philosophy on youtube
Why did I find it difficult to understand? I shouldn't struggle with this I'm a student of psychology. If I struggle with this book I should just give up on my 3 year degree.
congratulations !!!
Thank you!!!
So as long as I don’t kill myself, I can tell people im a rebel?
Ok, so, absurdism just seems like a step stone to existentialism. Acceptance of meaninglessness and finding our own will IS being defiant of the truth. I just don't agree that absurdism is an actual thing, or at least a place to land and go forward. Where you end up if you go forward from absurdism IS the third tenant of existentialism. right? or am I missing something?
Wait a damn minute why didn’t you like the stranger??
22094733 that’s how many time’s I had you say “like”
Just read this. Mystifying
my dream girl beautiful and with an intellectual mind I could talk philosophy with . wow
Love me a smart woman! Sheesh!
you are cute, beautiful and smart. I have read Myth of Sisyphus but I clicked on the thumbnail to see you.
I see you becoming a corporate lawyer, making beaucoup bucks and surrendering in its absurdity. 😀
Black woman with a love of philosophy? subscribed
Thanks so much for subscribing! Just want to clarify that I'm Egyptian / Arab / North African - not Black. I only say that because given the very real and impactful history of slavery and diaspora of Black African people across the world which my family and I haven't experienced I cannot claim the Black identity, though of course I do my best to be a good ally.
@@intellectgrime I noticed after I sent that. Yeah, a lot of Egyptians could pass as mixed. Well glad to be subscribing to a fellow African and a Woman in this area as well :)
Insta handle?
@intellectgrime :)
The myth of syphilis...copy that
You requested a pound a month on Patreon, judging by your accent surely you should be requesting a dollar a month? Where are you based?
youre very beautiful
on time for a view but maybe not a congrats but congrats with
school !! it is hell !! currently entering my 5th year for psych 🤢
- clear video thank u, i have smashed that like button
- adding in the page number tags is very helpful :)
- currently trying to read thru Camus' Myth of Sisyphus & struggling
- his writing > most NF literature but UNI beat up my love of reading long ago :/
- started writing on a whim months ago & a friend complimented my poetry for the
underlying yet clear absurdism (?). do u happen to know what makes an absurdist writer ?
- currently up to Camus' argument against the point of Chestov, but i can't quite place his point
u ever thought about maybe a sectional breakdown of philosophy books ?
that's kind of how i discovered this video haha
Thanks! Not sure if I know what makes an absurdist beyond having similar premises as Camus' philosophy since he sort of coined the term. Good luck with uni! I know it can definitely kill your love of reading but hopefully you get that back once you're finished like I did. Unlikely to happen soon but I'll definitely consider the sectional breakdown idea... :)
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