As I’ve gotten older, I’ve found that more and more of the situations I thought were stable and controlled were actually illusions of control based on luck and circumstance. I’ve struggled to come to terms with the fact that life is often chaotic. It seems that most of the adults I once thought were experts on living are often just as confused as I am. How does one deal with chaos on a scale as grand as life itself? The philosophy behind this is called Absurdism, and is founded on the belief that the universe is irrational and meaningless and that the search for order brings the individual into conflict with the universe.
In order to explain the theory behind Absurdism, first, it must be assumed that the universe is a closed system and therefore subject to the Second Law of Thermodynamics. This law, also know as the Principle of Entropy, states that all matter within a closed system is moving toward chaos. We can apply the same principle outside of science. For example, think about the cleanliness of your bedroom. It takes effort to clean and put back in order. Without effort, the room becomes dirty again and the individual must again put in the energy to fight the inherent chaos of the room to get it clean again. Absurdism argues that this phenomenon is present in all aspects of life, and is one of the core parts of the human condition.
There are four reactions to the Absurd. The first of these is escape. In this case, escape equates to suicide, which is meant to allow the individual to escape the absurd. However, Albert Camus, a leading voice of Absurdism, dismissed this reaction. His argument that the taking of one’s life was in itself absurd, and in doing so we give in to the absurd by accepting our fate and disappearing to nothingness in the act of ultimate despair. Suicide is a declaration that life is not worth living, a final stance on what Camus referred to as the only important philosophical questions: “Is life worth living?" Camus held that life was indeed worth living, if only to make the most of the chaos.
The second reaction is denial, in which the individual simply chooses not to accept the chaos of the human condition by attempting to structure and organize their life. The pursuit of power, money, and material goods as a form of validation is an example of this reaction. Material possessions are easy to look at and recognize as real, so they provide a grounding point for the individual. Most of society, particularly capitalist-based societies, has this reaction. We construct calendars, schedules, and routines all in the search for order and success in life. In doing so, we combat the natural chaos of the universe and make life difficult for ourselves.
Finally, the individual can also react by engaging with the state of the human condition, and abandon the human tendency to search for meaning and order. Disorder and chaos lend themselves to isolation and despair. The universe pushes us apart from those close to us and what we use to find meaning in life. Engaging with chaos involves the use of creation and community to pursue stability. In this way, the individual passively rebels against chaos.
You can engage with the chaos of the universe by finding a meaning to your life within your community. Maybe you’re the “mom friend” and fight the chaos of a night out with your care and find meaning in seeing your friends safe and cared for. As a writer, I find meaning in the community by sharing information I find interesting with an internet audience. Camus held that true freedom, and the opportunity to give life meaning, was found in the acceptance of absurdity. In doing so, we acknowledge that the universe holds no absolutes, and it allows everyone to subjectively define their universe. This subjectivity allows each individual to define their own meaning or purpose. Choose your meaning and find your purpose amidst the chaos of life.
