I think Sisyphus would have preferred to stay on earth and enjoy the pleasures he loved. I've never been convinced that Sisyphus was happy. I think we say he was because we can't bear the alternative. Suicide is a heroic choice IMO.
john miller taking this out of metaphor what you’re basically saying is that life without a point is not worth living. But to me that is only a half thought. If purpose is a fairytale one is no more obliged toward suicide than living. You can’t accuse those who choose either futility of being any more or less heroic than the other. Although I gotta say having chosen the futility of life, I have found it a remarkably easy path to follow. Human instinct just isn’t designed to worry about matters on such a nebulous scale.
@john miller: Very interesting point. What if you think about the fact that it was not possible for Sisyphus to live on Earth, and that pushing the rock was his new condition, one he couldn't change. The way existence in Earth was described in the passage, sounds very much like Heaven. Peacefully staring at the sea, on a bay for years and years. It seems unrealistic, in the most part. It is the daily pushing of the rock, an activity that is pointless in the most part, that the protagonist must do, and is similar to what most people have to do, to different extents. For this reason I don't think its worth considering the fact that Sisyphus would rather stay on Earth, or we would rather be in Heaven. You are in reality, your own form of reality, and you must deal with it, by escaping (what you say is heroic) or by giving full attention to each little task you do, loving and maybe also hating.
Watch Triangle 2009 movie, it loosely yet beautifully incorporated this mythical idea in the movie. One of the most underrated movies ever.
Everyone has the luxury of opinions and debate, except Sisyphus.
Ooo
I think Sisyphus would have preferred to stay on earth and enjoy the pleasures he loved. I've never been convinced that Sisyphus was happy. I think we say he was because we can't bear the alternative. Suicide is a heroic choice IMO.
john miller taking this out of metaphor what you’re basically saying is that life without a point is not worth living. But to me that is only a half thought. If purpose is a fairytale one is no more obliged toward suicide than living. You can’t accuse those who choose either futility of being any more or less heroic than the other.
Although I gotta say having chosen the futility of life, I have found it a remarkably easy path to follow. Human instinct just isn’t designed to worry about matters on such a nebulous scale.
@john miller: Very interesting point. What if you think about the fact that it was not possible for Sisyphus to live on Earth, and that pushing the rock was his new condition, one he couldn't change. The way existence in Earth was described in the passage, sounds very much like Heaven. Peacefully staring at the sea, on a bay for years and years. It seems unrealistic, in the most part. It is the daily pushing of the rock, an activity that is pointless in the most part, that the protagonist must do, and is similar to what most people have to do, to different extents. For this reason I don't think its worth considering the fact that Sisyphus would rather stay on Earth, or we would rather be in Heaven. You are in reality, your own form of reality, and you must deal with it, by escaping (what you say is heroic) or by giving full attention to each little task you do, loving and maybe also hating.