What is the Rock according to Albert Camus?

Question

The myth of sisyphus

Answer 1

Camus saw much of life as pointless and without any meaning whatsoever. The primary parallel he draws between Sisyphus pointlessly pushing his rock up a hill only to have it roll down the other side is with the average person, working endlessly at an average job that ultimately produces no more change in the universe the Sisyphus does with his rock. To quote Camus directly:

"The workman of today works every day in his life at the same tasks, and this fate is no less absurd. But it is tragic only at the rare moments when it becomes conscious."

The irony, I suppose, is that to Camus, most of the rest of life is pretty much equally pointless. Infusing almost anything with an unjustified amount of meaning, whether it be (to Camus) made-up religions, rule-changing science, or pretty much any social organization is more or less an equal waste of time.

We've heard the expression, 'ignorance is bliss'... I think Camus would suggest that it is the ONLY bliss which might ever be found.