Uncanny Absurdity

schopenhauer1 July 20, 2017 at 14:19 2900 views 4 comments

Does anyone ever experience moments of the "uncanny absurd"? By this I mean just the realization of the routines, desires, etc. are simple habituations that we put on to unify an otherwise absurdly senseless universe? By this I mean, we have the level of language taught to us, but coherent use of reasoning, rationale, utility which we employ this linguistic-reasoning becomes starkly meaningless. A classic example is Camus' example in the Myth of Sisyphus where a person is talking animately behind a telephone booth and you cannot hear his words just his crazy gesticulations. The context is lost, the reasoning senseless. This kind of stark awareness of senselessness happens. But then you get hungry and have to go to the bathroom. Then we get worried that work needs to get done. Oh well. Senselessness no more.

Comments (4)

Rich July 20, 2017 at 14:33 #88539 0 likes

There is comedy lurking within the pathos of life. A simple change from actor to audience sometimes reveals it.

CasKev July 20, 2017 at 14:34 #88540 0 likes

Yes, I experience this quite frequently - I just have to think about how we're hurtling through space on a spinning sphere while we walk and talk and go about our business; or how all of these tiny particles somehow manage to not just hold themselves together, but organize themselves in such a way that allows me to type on this computer.

It's a case of being too intelligent for our own good. Without language and science, I think we would be much less aware of the absurdity of what is actually going on, and wouldn't even develop thoughts of senselessness or meaninglessness. We would just go on satisfying our needs and wants, content with what we could observe with our natural senses.

Rich July 20, 2017 at 14:36 #88541 0 likes

Quoting CasKev

Without language and science,

Charlie Chaplain was able to reveal it via simple observation. Comedians do this as a matter of vocation, creating the theater of the absurd.

WISDOMfromPO-MO July 21, 2017 at 03:18 #88711 0 likes

Quoting schopenhauer1

Does anyone ever experience moments of the "uncanny absurd"?

On the contrary, I have moments when I forget about everything that has been thrown on my shoulders.

I do not think that any words can do justice to the calm, quiet and peace of those moments.

In those moments I certainly do not see some theoretical absurdity that the routines of life soon make me forget.

On the contrary, in those moments I experience profound spiritual integrity; freedom; joy and beauty.

Everything else, including philosophers and their concept of "the absurd", quickly drowns out that spiritual integrity; freedom; joy and beauty, unfortunately.