Thursday, December 11, 2014
Our Stranger Meaning
Albert Camus said "You will never be happy if you continue to search for what happiness consists of. You will never live if you are looking for the meaning of life." This is something I struggle with a lot but agree with wholeheartedly. It is exactly what troubled me throughout Siddhartha. It always seemed to me that enlightenment had less to do with finding something than with being content with what you have. It seemed strange how desperately he was always searching for something beyond what he knew and had to find enlightenment. Even though his motives were not material-based and he was not searching for something external, it seemed to be that the constant desire for more, no matter what that more consists of, is the opposite of what it means to be enlightened. Then again, I often find myself over-thinking everything and spending way too much time considering what would make me happy instead of just living my life and making the most out of it. I think the whole idea of searching for something is kind of counter productive because if we are dead set on searching it can be difficult to know when to stop searching because I don't think there is one meaning for life we could suddenly "find" and be happy with. The search for the meaning of life is one that has no end because I think it is something that is completely personal and subjective. So we can go on independent journeys on our own to find what our personal meaning of life is but I think this will just get in the way of leading happy lives and ever being in the moment. I do tend to tie "the meaning of life" up with the after life and the idea of "beyond," and the idea of constantly thinking about the after life terrifies me because it is so unsure. It just seems to high a risk to put everything on what may come next when we have something here and now.
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I like how you chose a Camus quote because it reminds us of his ideals as we read The Stranger. Through Meursault we see the Camus does not value the thought of life having meaning. Meursault takes life as it comes and does not over evaluate anything. In the same way, I agree with the idea that we cannot look for meaning. When we look for things, our view of the world and situations is altered. Rather than taking a holistic approach and viewing everything in it's own light, we tend to melt them to fit our desires. This is no way to learn about the world. I don't think happiness needs to be searched for. I think it comes to us from a variety of sources.
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