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The Meaning of Life - Essay Example

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The Meaning of Life Name Institution Introduction Before proceeding to the theme of this essay, there is need to understand the concept of absurdity, as described by Albert Camus in his narrative, ‘The Myth of Sisyphus’. The narrativeis common to many, as the story of Sisyphus who had to keep rolling a boulder up a mountain while it consistently kept rolling back.Sisyphus is a Greek mythological figure who was wise, extremely skilled and cunning.Along the way, he tried to trick the gods, but ended up punished to his pointless boulder-pushing life.The state of absurdity, as used in the book, is the unsuccessful search for a purpose, in a world full of disorder and lack of meaning.It is the…
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In my understanding, an absurd man should live freely and not within the limits of any rules. The world is indescribable (due to its chaotic nature) hence everyone is free to describe absurd art in his/her own way. In order What is the meaning of life? This is the most fundamental question for everyone, from the complicated philosopher to a 5 year old child. All the other queries, whether the sun goes around the moon or not and if there is life on other celestial bodies come second to the purpose of existence.

What some refer to as their reason for living also serves as their reason for death. For example, many there are many reports of people committing suicide from losing their loved ones. Others like Jesus’ disciples willingly chose death over giving up their Christianity. Suicide, on the other hand, results from the realization of the lack of purpose of one’s life. Everyone looks towards tomorrow with hope and death in the juxtaposition. As Bertrand Russell stated, “…all the labors of the ages, all the devotion, all the inspiration, all the noonday brightness of human genius, are destined to extinction in the vast death of the solar system, and the whole temple of man's achievement must inevitably be buried beneath the debris of a universe in ruins…only on the firm foundation of this unyielding despair, can the soul?

s habitation henceforth be safely built” (Bertrand Russell). In the pursuit of a purpose for existence, there are only two conclusions; there is no meaning in life and the purpose of life lies only in the hands of God who exists beyond physicality. Still, from the first conclusion arises another query; does the lack of meaning in life mean that it is not worth living? If ‘yes’ is the answer to this question, suicide is the next action logical to take. There, however, arises a third option; what if a person accepts to pursue a life with no purpose?

A person who lacks faith in a supernatural deity can never find any reconciliation with the absurdity of life and those who claim to do so, only end up committing ‘philosophical suicide’. In philosophical suicide, a person acknowledges the lack of order and meaninglessness of the world yet at the same time, tries to assign himself or any other member of humanity a purpose in life. Living in absurdity (accepting the meaninglessness of life) is possible but requires constant awareness of its presence.

Examples of abstract lives, those lived by seducers who engage in the short term passions of life and actors who impersonate numerous personalities. In an absurd life, one does not try to explain the purpose of his/her experiences, but simply enjoys life’s freeness like NikoKzantzakis when he said, -“As I watched the seagulls, I thought: “That?s the road to take; find the absolute rhythm and follow it with absolute trust” (Nikos Kzantzakis). Is there any importance in the question? Everyone, whether consciously or not, has an insatiable appetite to know the truth of this unfamiliar existence. As T.S.

Eliot stated, "We shall not cease from our exploration and the end of all

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