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The Myth of Sisyphus Hello all? Anyone here read "The Myth of Sisyphus" by Albert Camus? It is available in many places online, but there is a copy that has been on Professor Julia Evergreen Keefer's of NYU for a long time, available here: The Myth of Sisyphus by Albert Camus It is very short, but I find a lot of inspiration from it sometimes in this often seemingly absurd quest some call recovery. What are your thoughts? Some quotes: The lucidity that was to constitute his torture at the same time crowns his victory. There is no fate that cannot be surmounted by scorn. If the descent is thus sometimes performed in sorrow, it can also take place in joy... When the images of earth cling too tightly to memory, when the call of happiness becomes too insistent, it happens that melancholy rises in man's heart: this is the rock's victory, this is the rock itself. The boundless grief is too heavy to bear. These are our nights of Gethsemane. But crushing truths perish from being acknowledged. Unconscious, secret calls, invitations from all the faces, they are the necessary reverse and price of victory. There is no sun without shadow, and it is essential to know the night. The absurd man says yes and his effort will henceforth be unceasing... At that subtle moment when man glances backward over his life, Sisyphus returning toward his rock, in that silent pivoting he contemplates that series of unrelated actions which becomes his fate, created by him, combined under his memory's eye and soon sealed by his death. Thus, convinced of the wholly human origin of all that is human, a blind man eager to see who knows that the night has no end, he is still on the go. The rock is still rolling... The struggle itself toward the heights is enough to fill a man's heart. One must imagine Sisyphus happy. What is it about your "recovery" that resembles Sisyphus' plight? What is your relationship to your rock? Is the struggle itself enough for you? |
I guess I don't relate to recovery being a Sisyphean task: I did this, the Gods did not set me to it. I can stop whenever I want. (Drinking myself to death is still an option.) And when I stop pushing the rock does not roll backwards. In fact, sometimes not pushing is exactly the right thing for me to do. The rock just coasts along under its own inertia. The first few weeks were a battle. I really enjoyed having the demon of addiction adversary to battle against, and I missed the struggle when it was gone. After that it was a process of accepting things as they are. There is no rock, no demon, just me. |
John, Although I found it interesting, I would hesitate to articulate in fear I might deviate from the actual course of rectitude, because I fear the article is to copious for my dominium comprehension. Thanks |
Some who attempt recovery feel the need to try and push the rock up the hill when all you really need to do is walk around the rock and continue your journey up the hill leaving the rock behind. Climbing the hill is hard enough, leave the rock behind. |
Hmmmm. Interesting thought process and I can see how it might be an apt analogy for some. For me I would say that upon embracing the rock I realized it was not only lighter than I had thought while standing at the base of the hill but in fact the rock is buoyant and lifts me higher. That which seemed insurmountable has become the fuel which lifts me higher. |
Recycle hit this out of the park, at least in my experience. It's all about me and acceptance now. Great thread and great post Recycle! |
Originally Posted by recycle
(Post 2930301)
The first few weeks were a battle. I really enjoyed having the demon of addiction adversary to battle against, and I missed the struggle when it was gone. After that it was a process of accepting things as they are. There is no rock, no demon, just me. First, I wonder if "missing the struggle" is for some a cause of relapse? I recall quitting smoking many times, and in some perverse way enjoying the withdrawal. Second, is not acceptance of things as they are, without the easy escape of synthetic pleasure, the real, ongoing struggle we are facing here? I do not see "struggle" in a negative context, and neither does Camus. He is saying, in effect, that our daily struggle itself can be a source of joy. He concludes the essay with "The struggle itself toward the heights is enough to fill a man's heart. One must imagine Sisyphus happy." |
Tonight my therapist said to me....you can make this as easy as you want (the flip obviously would be to struggle)...I choose easy. I see what you are saying....I just choose the alternative. |
With me I don't feel acceptance is an on going struggle. Acceptance seems to be when the rock/struggle disappeared. Although I gained power from winning the battle, I wouldn't want the battle to be any longer than it lasted. The initial battle was enjoyable because I knew I was gonna win it once I was on the path, it was like when an athlete talks about being in the zone. I was totally focused and I knew at the time nothing was going to stand in my way, and even though it was only for a couple of weeks I could see the changes in myself mentally and physically and that made it exciting. As far as cause for a relapse, I did, but I attribute that to me being curious whether I really overcame a real battle to begin with, and I learned that I did. |
For me the Sisyphus' plight resembles my drinking life, not my sober life Booze was my rock |
What great answers: Perhaps the Augean stables is a better metaphor for recovery? |
Ok, had to look up the Augean stables...y'all are getting too esoteric for us mere mortals! Cleaning out sh*t though is a pretty apt metaphor;) |
Please overlook my attempt at sarcastic humor. What's funny to me may be offensive to others! (my post above) LaF- You sure you are from New England?? Y'all-- I'm used to it here in Oklahoma Just never heard a yankee use it. They usually say "useguys".........Love it though!! |
Originally Posted by luckedog
(Post 2932727)
Please overlook my attempt at sarcastic humor. What's funny to me may be offensive to others! (my post above) LaF- You sure you are from New England?? Y'all-- I'm used to it here in Oklahoma Just never heard a yankee use it. They usually say "useguys".........Love it though!! |
lukedog, I liked your elubrication. |
OK some of you "got it". I'M glad I'm not the only one with a twisted sense of humor! |
Supercrew, I know it gets frustrating; I get alot of good info. from your posts! Dont quit!! |
Originally Posted by luckedog
(Post 2932798)
OK some of you "got it". I'M glad I'm not the only one with a twisted sense of humor! I have a weird ear and pick up phraseology and accents all over the place...confuses the heck out of people at times. I was once in Chinatown with some Hong Kong friends and was told I had a better accent then them...too bad I only have like three phrases in the language;) Useguys is a New Yorker thing and bad grammar....y'all is somewhat charming despite being incorrect as well....so I tend to use it more. |
I read all of Camus' books I could get my hands on when I was twenty and backpacking for a couple of months around Europe. There was some "feeling" in his writings that I just could relate to. I've often thought about this myth (especially when working a very repetitious job for many years) and although I could understand Camus' reasoning that Sisyphus could be happy in his absurd situation, I somehow always found it irrelevant because he would most definetely be more happy without it. But if Camus' point is that one can find a meaning to his life in any circumstances, then I agree and think that it's a vital point-of-view for my recovery. |
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