Of course, Hamlet contemplated suicide. But, Hamlet was afraid of "the dreams that may come." It is fear, the fear of death, that keeps people from killing themselves. If people were certain that death would be nothingness, suicide rates would soar. I look for theoretical physicists and geneticists to conclude that our consciousness is just ether from the electrical reactions from our neurons. Once this Hard Problem is revealed mathematically, suicide rates will rise.
Camus proclaimed that "one must imagine Sisyphus happy." because when Sisyphus acknowledges and knows that his work is indeed useless, this realization causes him to experiences a state of contented acceptance and this acceptance therefore bring him relief and joy despite the obvious suffering.
If I could do anything i wanted in the afterlife, and had the intelligence to fill 100,000,000,000 years with meaningful existence. I would find myself at the very beginning of eternity. What then?
I think Hicks makes the point, or might finalize in a part that is not here. Camus wrote that there is a moment in the cycle of Sisyphus where he imagines that Sisyphus can take satisfaction. He reaches the top of the hill, lets the boulder go, and has to follow it down. The gods have punished him, but have not taken his humanity. Sisyphus has won, he is still alive and can take pleasure in the easy part, as much as he might dread the tremendous exertion to come. Camus saw it as a metaphor. Us.
He started talking about the suicide at the very ending of the video, so he left the question hanging in the air. Camus mentiones it at the beginning of the book, although he never really answered it... It is a good video, but you should read the book yourself and come to your own conclusions. Dr. Hicks didn't really say much in my opinion, he digresses too much during both videos.
After massive amounts of swearing, cursing, frustration, delusion, and despair. At some point Sisyphus is going to get over the fact of rolling up a boulder endlessly up a hill again and again.
He has eternity to devise a clever trick to lie and cheat his way out of it, like all the other punishments the gods came up with before the boulder rolling.
The myth of sisyphus calls to mind the Star Trek episode with the Q that was tired of being immortal and wanted to die, only the Q Continuum would not let him do so. Despite his omnipotence and immortality, he was simply no longer interested in gallavanting about the galaxy. Immortality is overrated.
All of this sounds like illusionary thoughts created by the illusion of thinking oneself separate from the universe. There is no separation from everything in the universe,,the idea of a separate self exist as a thought from alone, once this is realized there is no more questions.
yea I always felt like Camus didn't actually make any conclusions. He proclaimed one must imagine Sisyphus happy, somehow in relation to the "heights" he reached, but I highly doubt Camus felt this way in any sincere manner.
It doesn't matter either way. Human beings systematically create delusions for themselves to fill the emptiness that results from this problem, and whatever makes them content is good enough, but never universal.
There is nothing that will fill this void in actuality.
@lazyoldsun Perhaps, but reading his non-academic essays - describing the beauty of Algiers for example - he seems exceptionally content. Though, the consolations he finds can only be described as simple pleasures.
@lazyoldsun The void's salience is purely a function of how much one dwells on it. As long as Sisyphus focuses on his actual task and not its meaning, he'll be fine.
Of course, Hamlet contemplated suicide. But, Hamlet was afraid of "the dreams that may come." It is fear, the fear of death, that keeps people from killing themselves. If people were certain that death would be nothingness, suicide rates would soar. I look for theoretical physicists and geneticists to conclude that our consciousness is just ether from the electrical reactions from our neurons. Once this Hard Problem is revealed mathematically, suicide rates will rise.
JayGatsbyOdysseus 1 month ago
immortal life isnt a good thing, imagine being able to think and exist FOREVER, that is a torture more horrific than any other surely??
TheRacketBoss 1 month ago
"no matter how much of a fan you are of harp music... ITS GONNA GET OLD." hah!
koppyem 2 months ago
Camus proclaimed that "one must imagine Sisyphus happy." because when Sisyphus acknowledges and knows that his work is indeed useless, this realization causes him to experiences a state of contented acceptance and this acceptance therefore bring him relief and joy despite the obvious suffering.
geLicious008HAHA 3 months ago
Camus saw the Sisyphus story as an example of absurdity. The real answer is that it is better not knowing our afterlife destination.
cris750 3 months ago
This shit makes my brain hurt!!! LOL
Loader2k 4 months ago
If I could do anything i wanted in the afterlife, and had the intelligence to fill 100,000,000,000 years with meaningful existence. I would find myself at the very beginning of eternity. What then?
Loader2k 4 months ago
I think Hicks makes the point, or might finalize in a part that is not here. Camus wrote that there is a moment in the cycle of Sisyphus where he imagines that Sisyphus can take satisfaction. He reaches the top of the hill, lets the boulder go, and has to follow it down. The gods have punished him, but have not taken his humanity. Sisyphus has won, he is still alive and can take pleasure in the easy part, as much as he might dread the tremendous exertion to come. Camus saw it as a metaphor. Us.
frankshifreen 6 months ago
He started talking about the suicide at the very ending of the video, so he left the question hanging in the air. Camus mentiones it at the beginning of the book, although he never really answered it... It is a good video, but you should read the book yourself and come to your own conclusions. Dr. Hicks didn't really say much in my opinion, he digresses too much during both videos.
svellene 6 months ago
After massive amounts of swearing, cursing, frustration, delusion, and despair. At some point Sisyphus is going to get over the fact of rolling up a boulder endlessly up a hill again and again.
He has eternity to devise a clever trick to lie and cheat his way out of it, like all the other punishments the gods came up with before the boulder rolling.
What makes the boulder rolling any different?
StrangerNReality 6 months ago
The myth of sisyphus calls to mind the Star Trek episode with the Q that was tired of being immortal and wanted to die, only the Q Continuum would not let him do so. Despite his omnipotence and immortality, he was simply no longer interested in gallavanting about the galaxy. Immortality is overrated.
GorterPoss 6 months ago
All of this sounds like illusionary thoughts created by the illusion of thinking oneself separate from the universe. There is no separation from everything in the universe,,the idea of a separate self exist as a thought from alone, once this is realized there is no more questions.
3AtomicJabez8 7 months ago
yea I always felt like Camus didn't actually make any conclusions. He proclaimed one must imagine Sisyphus happy, somehow in relation to the "heights" he reached, but I highly doubt Camus felt this way in any sincere manner.
It doesn't matter either way. Human beings systematically create delusions for themselves to fill the emptiness that results from this problem, and whatever makes them content is good enough, but never universal.
There is nothing that will fill this void in actuality.
lazyoldsun 11 months ago 9
@lazyoldsun Perhaps, but reading his non-academic essays - describing the beauty of Algiers for example - he seems exceptionally content. Though, the consolations he finds can only be described as simple pleasures.
GeorgesBarras 6 months ago
@lazyoldsun The void's salience is purely a function of how much one dwells on it. As long as Sisyphus focuses on his actual task and not its meaning, he'll be fine.
GorterPoss 6 months ago
@GorterPoss Great point!
Chemgirl99 3 months ago
@lazyoldsun is religion a delusion that you refer to?
Antiks72 5 months ago
@lazyoldsun or i can just decide to end it instead of living and constantly battling the absurdity
sevenfoldevil 3 months ago
@lazyoldsun good comment; nietzsche's live dangerously is the closest to imagining sisyphus happy.
OBIrish 3 months ago
@lazyoldsun Climb a mountain.
JMMFilm 1 month ago
Great. I wish there was a clip 3!
theothernickc 1 year ago 6
the answer to what would make an immortal or mortal life worthwhile is LOVE.
kellann55 1 year ago
Yes! I've always thought about that. Even if heaven is pure happiness (as Sisyphus is pure drudgery) then what follows?
OzymandiasXLIV 1 year ago