Have you ever felt like your life is monotonous? Ever wondered what the purpose of your life is?  Like, no matter how much you want to, you just can’t get your head around what’s happening in the world? 
"Nothing good is happening in my life." 
A daily thought with which I wake up and go to sleep. A thought that makes me wonder if I can make my life worthwhile and meaningful. People often tend to seek meaning and purpose in life but usually end up with ambiguity and directionlessness. 

That’s where absurdism comes in—a philosophy that made a profound impact on my life and filled my soul with purpose and direction even in this worthless, lookalike life. This school of thought is so deeply profound that where I could find a meaning from the meaningless.


What is Absurdism?

Absurdism is a philosophical concept of life that arose in the 20th century, and the concept primarily emerged through the works of Albert Camus. It presupposes that humans' search for meaning and a sense of purpose in life always contradicts the fact that our life has no meaning, and even the universe is indifferent to our existence. It is juxtaposed between what humans seek for and what the universe has for our very existence. 


The Myth of Sisyphus 

Life is Absurd: Finding Meaning in the Meaningless
Source: AI-generated Image


In one of Camus' famous works, Sisyphus is condemned by the gods to push a huge boulder up the hill, and he ends up doing it for eternity. Every time he pushes the boulder to the top after a whole lot of labour, the boulder rolls down the hills, forcing him to start over. There is no way he could end his life, rather he chooses to enjoy the curse of pushing the boulder uphill. This consistent effort, which, at times, appears futile, is a driving force that gives his life meaning. Or you could see it as finding meaning in the meaningless. 

Here, you might wonder, how does that make sense? Sisyphus' mere existence is not worthwhile, right?
 
Ironically, the analogy can be made about our own existence, which I wonder is similar to what Sisyphus's life looks like. Every day after we wake up, we almost live our life with a similar pattern and more or less do the same thing. We anticipate it to be something different, but it turns out to be the same—almost repetitive and monotonous. 


Why is our life so Absurd? 

This belief that there is no meaning in life and the thirst for it often leads us to dejection. People often come into conflict with the universe when they try to make meaning out of life. Just like Sisyphus' futile effort of rigorous activities, even our lives are filled with meaningless ventures that lead us to uncertain paths. Instead of finding a meaningful life, it's better to invest our life without worrying about the purpose and stick to our constant efforts to make life go on. Isn't it?


Embracing the Absurd

This philosophy may seem very pessimistic. However, for me, it is one of the most liberating things that one can go through in a lifetime. In other words, when we accept our life as absurd, we no longer have to seek an explanation or a purpose for our existence. I believe that we can bring meaning to our lives no matter how unclear the goals are. It is better to have life than to have no life at all, isn't it? It does not matter as long as we embrace life's absurdity rather than trying to find meaning in it, for the journey is more important than what we experience during the process.

Final Thoughts 

In no way does absurdism mean giving up and being pessimistic. It is about freedom, where no one is sure of what will happen. By accepting the fact that the world is absurd, we can create meaning in life, even if it initially seems meaningless.