Camus

"Albert Camus says living is anguish, but don't you dare let those bastards get you down."
 - Tarkio, Neopolitan Bridesmaid

1. Introduction
1. He's identified as an existentialist, but he explicitly has said he is not.
2. He said his whole life was dedicated to fighting the philosophy of nihilism while delving deeply into human freedom
3. Good friends with Sartre, with a bitter fallout over socialist politics.
2. Nihilism
1. A lot of Camus writing deals with the problem of nihilism
2. An example of this can be found in his book The Stranger, in which a man name Meursault seemingly walks through life with indifference.  Nothing he does seems to matter, and he shows little emotion about things - even when he kills a man.  Only upon facing his imminent execution does he break down, but finds peace when he realizes that the universe doesn't care about mankind.
3. At first glance, it might seem like Camus simply thinks nothing matters.  But his philosophy is much deeper than that.
3. The Absurd
1. His first theme is the idea of the Absurd, which echoes the ideas of Sartre.  The absurd is refers to the conflict between 
1. the human tendency to seek inherent value and meaning in life, and...
2. the human inability to find any.
2. He argues that first, we need to accept this reality.  
3. So far he's largely in agreement with the other existentialists by acknowledging the problem of nihilism and absurdity.
4. Options
1. Suicide
1. He thinks this is a bad plan.  But he takes it seriously, calling it "the one truly serious philosophical problem."
2. Killing yourself only negates the problem, rather than solving it.
2. Religion
1. You can believe in divine plan that is beyond our reasoning.
2. He thinks this is a sort of dishonesty, and represents a retreat from reality.  Unlike Kierkegaard, he won't turn to religion for help.
3. Absurd Hero
1. Accept that life is absurd, and then chain yourself to the very absurdity. 
2. Make conscious choices to revel in it, and by doing so you revolt against the problem itself.  It can no longer hurt you.  Instead, use it as a source of inspiration.  Create art that reflects our human condition.
3. The Myth of Sisyphus
1. "Imagine Sisyphus Happy"
4. The Plague tells the story of a town afflicted with a terrible epidemic and quarantined.  Efforts to stay isolated, or to treat the sick seems to make no difference.  Death seems random.  But the heroes are still the ones who try to make a difference, even if it doesn't save anyone in the end.
5. Story:  Sandcastles
6. Essentially, there's some value in fighting the good fight.  We rebel against the absurd, and in doing so create meaning in our lives.