Iwas searching for the meaning of life. it has been a decade since I started watching Advaita Vedanta videos, I tried to read Vedanta. Then, a few of my friends who did Vipassana suggested doing a 10-day Vipassana course. As I was exploring various paths to get the answer, I decided to do it. But before that, I decided to quit my job and took my first long break. The course enriched my thoughts and knowledge. For the last year, I have had the opportunity to enquire about Western Philosophy. It was suggested that I watch a Hindi Philosophy channel. I started reading about existentialism, nihilism, and the absurdist concept of modern philosophy. I also tried to gather more knowledge about Socrates, Plato and other philosophers and their works. It was a kind of coping mechanism for my meaningless corporate life. In modern philosophy, Nietzsche’s concept of Übermensch, the solution to the death of god and nihilism, helped me to think of a way to overcome the situation of nihilism in my life. Albert Camus’s idea of Absurdism equally amazed me. In his book-long essay “The Myth of Sisyphus” he projected Sisyphus, the Greek mythological character, as an absurd man. Sisyphus was punished for defying God. As a punishment, he would have to roll a boulder(rock) up a mountain. As the rock reaches the top, it rolls down again and Sisyphus starts pushing it up again. Camus writes “It is during that return, that pause, that Sisyphus interests me”. Life is absurd and it has no inherited meaning, just like the punishment of Sisyphus. But Sisyphus despite knowing the futility of his task, enjoyed the endless journey.
Ialso realised the absurdity of life. Human tries to reason everything, that’s why absurdity hits them hard. And they commit Philosophical suicide. So did I fail because of taking everything philosophically, or did Philosophy come to me as a blessing in this Society defined “Failed Life”?
I tried to learn many things in my life. I tried to learn foreign languages, I continued learning. I also tried to learn to play the guitar. In these cases, I failed to achieve any observable milestone. My Software development career has taken a nose dive. Though I don't want to tag myself with any profession. my one and only miserably failed relationship left me with some good and bad memories, which I have to carry as long as my brain is working. So my point is, that this Philosophy helped me to perceive reality objectively. It soothes all the pain of my human life. Now I consider other perspectives before speaking about anything. As Sisyphus, we just have to take a pause and enjoy the absurdity, enjoy the process itself.
Resources:-
https://youtu.be/05wyW01NUjI?si=RZ4IfBMatv8NSKhF youtube.com/@Faraz74811/videos
