I jumped into this as a pleb and im feeling that i can only understand

>>8355486
you're retarded; it's not complicated
though as a pleb, good choice

>>8355486
ka-moo le-tra-nger

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>>8355486
I first tried reading it in highschool, a lot of his references really went over my head. Just read it this summer (after first year of Uni) and I got a lot more out of it. It helps if you're at least semi-familiar with earlier absurd thinkers (ie Kierkegaard). Reading The Stranger first also acts as a good intro to some of the ideas expressed in Sisyphus. Also,

>inb4 start with the greeks

It does actually help to a degree. Camus is definitely working from the western philosophical tradition, so one needs at least some understanding of what came before him.

A lot of the references flew over my head when I read it, but I think I understood all the main themes with ease. Absurdism is really simple once you "get" it.

>>8355499
In some way, i like not understanding it completely, it keeps me interested. But it's kinda frustrating too.

>>8355513
I've read The Stranger, but my knowledge of philosophy is very limited, I am reading The republic now, is in comparison to MOS an easy read. I think I still have a long way to go.

Maybe I should read some kierkeegard first as you suggested...

>>8355527

I didn't have a great philosophic background when I read it, I think it works fine as a "stand-alone" essay. I don't think you will miss his point by not having read anything prior, the only thing you need to have done is to think yourself into an existencial crisis at least once before.

>>8355513
>>8355513
>kierkegaard
>absurd

wew

Should have read L'Étranger first.

But really, Camus' thought boils down to this: mankind is existentially doomed to toil in suffering for no discernible cause, therefor we must accept that burden and strive to make inner peace with our inevitable deaths. Hence, 'one must imagine Sisyphus happy'

It means nothing, there is no actual content of any note, it is all rhetoric and ask anyone (there are a surprising amount) who say it changed their life and ask them 'how'? and you'll get nothing but ramblings and slightly less eloquent rhetoric

>>8355669
Because sisyphus recognises his condition of pointless suffering (in his case extreme, ever-present physical pain alongside the exteeme psychological pain of his situation.. for all eternity) we ought to imagine him happy. Utterly flawless conclusion

>>8355751
Bravo camus

>>8355751
>condition of pointless suffering (in his case extreme, ever-present physical pain alongside the exteeme psychological pain of his situation.. for all eternity)

Nope, it's precisely because he accepts the absurdism of his physical suffering that his psychological pain subsides and he finds happiness in the process itself rather than the possible outcomes of it.

>>8355747
you could post this in literally any philosophy thread

>>8355834
Accepting that a condition is awful does not make it good. How on earth do you go from full realisation of the pointlessness and ever-presence of your intense physical suffering and convert that into a positive purely by virtue of noticing it. This is just sentimental, romantic nonsense. For one thing you can't reason yourself out of pain, secondly physical pain and psychological pain are intimately linked, thirdly there is nobody with a lick of sense who would suggest that the worldview of life being pointless, consistent suffering (i.e.accepting the situation 'as it is' as Camus sees it) coupled with huge physical pain for the rest of time is a recipe for happiness.

It's a ridiculous essay. If you truly believe in it and camus' ideas then simply imagine yourself in sisyphus's place whenever you want to envision a happy fantasy. Ludicrous.

>>8355513
How the fuck is Kierkegaard absurd?

>>8355527
Fear and Trembling is a good way to dive into Kierkeegard and is actually similar to MoS in structure (only in reverse, fist a fable, then an examination of thesis). I think a lot of it comes down to becoming familiar with the way that philosophy is written and discussed. It just takes time and exposure. Keep reading and you'll catch on eventually.

>>8355854
>It's a ridiculous essay. If you truly believe in it and camus' ideas then simply imagine yourself in sisyphus's place whenever you want to envision a happy fantasy. Ludicrous.

Camus really shot himself in the foot using Sisyphus as his example of the absurd man. Sisyphus has such a reduced and basic world, with no personal freedom whatsoever, that there's no chance to find any meaning in it, even the kinds of non-fundamental meaning that Camus proposes.

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>>8355486
This is the best book of modern philosophy. This book changes my life. The only good argument against nihilism, ever.

>>8355849
no

>>8356920
which is what, that we have to try and find some redemption in our suffering and the absurdity called life? Camus isn't profound in any sense of the word

>>8356920
>dees book have a changes a me life !

Kamoo is a retard and he made you retarded too broski bro.

>>8356942
in philosophy most good ideas are not profound ideas and most good philosophers are not profound philosophers

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>>8356948
>le catchy sayings XD

>>8356948
Camus literally took Stoicism, chewed on it and then shat it out. I don't dislike Camus, as a matter of fact I like him, but elevating his philosophy as some kind of bulwark against the barrage of existential nihilism is absolute folly.

>>8355486

You aren't retarded (well not necessarily retarded), just a pleb.
Myth of Sisyphus makes reference to many many other works and you need to be fairly well read to really get it.
It's funny, it's a great example of how starting with the Greeks isn't just a meme, since the basis of the book is a reference to a Greek myth.
This essay is meant to be in part an explanation of The Stranger so I'd say that is a pretty essential read.

Is camus anything more than the materialized antidote of cannabis induced existential anxiety?

>>8355854
>For one thing you can't reason yourself out of pain, secondly physical pain and psychological pain are intimately linked, thirdly there is nobody with a lick of sense who would suggest that the worldview of life being pointless, consistent suffering

Hoh boy, someone doesn't know about Buddhist philosophy and how it destroys those concepts

>Accepting that a condition is awful

It's not about it being awful, it's about it being pointless. Two different things, my friendo, and the one who decides how to face that is you. No meaning need not equal existencial suffering, that's the point family. I don't recall Camus stating that on top of the existencial trouble there was literal physical pain, it's more the effort of working. I don't think anyone would argue that a person with late-stage cancer is fine as long as he understands that his efforts are good in themselves. However, one could argue that he didn't need to have a psychological pain ON TOP of that physical one, thus in the very least subsiding part of the suffering.

>This is just sentimental, romantic nonsense

It does require some emotional depth to understand those concepts, so they are really easy to dismiss as being "romantic nonsense". The conclusion he reaches is an emotional one, as acceptance isn't always a rational process, but it still remains as a powerful tool if you know how to use it in your own mind.

>>8357065

>thinking you need to read the Greeks when the idea of Sisyphus can be communicated with one sentence
>"there was a guy who got punished to push a rock up a hill forever"

Meursault did nothing wrong. The arab had it coming and I can understand him when he felt the sun made him do it.

>>8358187
>I can understand him when he felt the sun made him do it.
this desu, who doesn't get pissed off when it's hot out