I reread Albert Camus, his work The Myth of Sisyphus. Originally, I thought Camus was really brilliant coming up with that interpretation. But just recently, I’m beginning to change my views on the subject. Here’s a brief background on the myth. If you already know the story skip the preceding sentences and jump to the next paragraph, but for those who don't, carry on. In Greek mythology, he was the Smart Alek who made a mockery out of Hades several time (just google the details). Sisyphus was convicted of “crimes against the gods” and was condemned to eternal labor. His punishment was to push a boulder up a mountain, and whenever he would come close to the top, the boulder would slip his grasps and the damn thing would come rolling down again. His punishment is eternal frustration.
Camus said that the Gods wanted to see Sisyphus beg on knees to ask them for their aid. But according to Camus, Sisyphus is not the type who would have his pride trampled that easily. The titan would rather be eternally frustrated than to live the rest of forever with a shattered ego. Sisyphus knows (or at least has an idea) that pushing the boulder up the hill is really an impossible task, but he couldn’t care less. The only thing keeping him going is the program in his mind telling him to continue pushing. That he might succeed despite the small possibility.
Sisyphus would learn to enjoy his predicament, thinking that everything is about trying. Life is about pushing. Senseless labor isn’t entirely senseless if do your best, or something to that effect. The glory in attempt. Smile once the boulder reached the highest t could.
But what if what Sisyphus really wants is for the Gods to pity him? Surely, his ego is too though to give up, but if the Gods offered to cut him some slack, I doubt he would refuse the offer. Everything is a means to an end. Of course that would make Sisyphus a hypocrite. If that was to be the case, wouldn’t that reduce the earlier interpretation of life to mere arrogance? I doubt that the Gods would give humanity amnesty from our earthly and seemingly senseless labor under the sun. No matter how much we beg or plead. The most we can do is to justify senseless labor with the hypocrisy of glory in attempt. Who would want to smile at project unfinished anyway?
