In class on Tuesday we discussed Camus’ Myth of Sisyphus, which tackles the question, “in a world devoid of god and values, why don’t we just commit suicide?.” Camus argues that both physical suicide and philosophical suicide provide as a means to “confessing that life is too much” (189). In class, we identified that both suicides rectify absurdity. The absurd man does not commit suicide, and instead constantly confronts the contradiction of the meaning of life.
On Tuesday, we discussed the possible meanings of “most” and “best” in Camus’ statement that “what counts is not the best living but the most living” (194). Dr. J said that she thinks more living means more days of life, which is what I agree with. I mentioned in class that I think that Camus’ statement that more living is better than best living seems to contradict the popular motto “live life to the fullest.” “Most living” seems to indicate the idea of avoiding the situations that would endanger maximizing your number of days, which challenges risk-taking situations encountered in the “full, best living.” What do you interpret “most living” and “best living” to mean?
In addition to the possible interpretations of Camus’ statement, we discussed the three consequences that result from the confrontation with the absurd: revolt, freedom, and passion. We brought up the point that these consequences seems to be anti-universal values. However, the consequences seem to contradict Camus’ statement that more living is better than best living. If “more living” constitutes living with revolt, freedom, and passion, then what is “best living”? In class, someone mentioned that these consequences of confronting absurdity seems to point towards a type of “best living” that we do currently, which would not follow the context of “more living” by my definition. I am struggling with what the difference is between “most” and “best.” Does Camus mean for the consequences to be contradictory with his statement that “most living” is better? Do you even think that such ideas are contradictory?
On another not, we looked at the myth of Sisyphus and mentioned that Sisyphus has encountered the absurd, realizes that there is not purpose to his existence, and yet continues to live. In order to live by Camus definition, there needs to be a constant revolt and awareness of one’s life and freedom (196). How is Sisyphus an absurd hero, and hence create his own values and own his fate if he is condemned to rolling a rock up a mountain for the rest of eternity? Also, how is Sisyphus "living his life to the fullest" after confronting the absurd?
I can not claim to be an expert on Camus philosophy. In fact, a lot of it still confuses me much more than it seems you are. However, I do believe I have some indication of what Camus was referring to when he spoke of the "most living" being the best.
ReplyDeleteCamus states that the "most" life is indicative of the best.This is because Camus argues that value judgements are useless in his assessment of the best life, since they are subjective.He does say that the best life is made of the greatest variety of experiences and that is why a longer life is better though.
However, it is not necessarily the longest life that is "best" just in a simple understanding of chronology. Rather, it is the life fully being lived -- not in denial -- which constant revolt against the very absurdity of that life. One has to accept this necessary revolt to truly live. One has to be aware of his passion, freedom, and revolt in life within the context of that time period of his life to truly live.
Admittedly, Camus then seems to contradict this by saying that nothing can substitute a given length of life, but I believe he was attempting to state that no matter how extensive a short life may be, time lost as part of a life similarly aware of its revolt cannot be replaced no matter how seemingly mundane its revolt is in comparison.
I may be entirely off, but after reading over the passage several times, this is the impression I got.
As for Sisyphus as an absurd hero, he is stated to be so because he recognizes the absurdity of his existence but revolts against it and gives it some form of meaning simply by continuing to live it -- he is in control of the scale of values that qualify his existence and because he is aware of all this he is "living life to the fullest."
Let me know if this helps, or if someone else has something to add/correction to make, I would personally really appreciate it. I am somewhat confused too.
I think Sisyphus living every day while confronting the absurd is simply the idea of the most, being that the longer he lives is the most life, rather than the best. I think this is the one example where we can take the terms at face value given the subject matter and his concept of the absurd man's life. the longer the absurd man is able to live while confronting the absurd, is the most life
ReplyDelete