Meet Camus
Jun 13, 2024
Jun 13, 2024
I started college with the aim of teaching Spanish. I had my sights set on higher education, but teaching high school didn't seem like such a bad gig. That was my plan for the past four years, but everything changed the day I walked into Professor Francev’s English 104 class.
Within two weeks, I realized teaching Spanish was just a placeholder until I found something more worthwhile. And what better field than the one that started it all—philosophy? This wasn’t due to some grand enlightenment, but to something far more superficial: the coolness of Albert Camus. Yes, it was that simple. I declared myself a philosophy major because Camus is cool.
Maybe not the best reason to base the next two years of my education on, but hey, Camus is objectively cool. In a twist of cruel, absurd irony, I found myself studying analytic philosophy. For those unfamiliar, the stereotype is that philosophy majors are mysterious, deep thinkers who ponder unanswerable questions under a tree and occasionally dabble in the fine art of non-conformity. Those are often continental philosophers who explore existentialism, phenomenology, and deconstruction with a poetic flair. Instead, I ended up with the serious thinkers of analytic philosophy who focus on clarity, logical analysis, and scientific rigor. And you know what? I loved it. I wouldn’t change a thing.
Why does any of this matter? Because I think you should read some Camus. He was well acquainted with the grainy side of life, and his writings showcase his willingness to push beyond the unfortunate circumstances often thrust upon us without reason. I’m not writing here to bore you with his biography; that's something I hope you discover on your own. I’m here to encourage you to read Camus in the hopes you find him as cool as I did, even if you don’t believe life is absurd.
Start with the following:
Albert Camus SEP Entry
The Stranger Novel
The Fall Novel
The Myth of Sisyphus Essay
Exile and the Kingdom Short Stories
I started college with the aim of teaching Spanish. I had my sights set on higher education, but teaching high school didn't seem like such a bad gig. That was my plan for the past four years, but everything changed the day I walked into Professor Francev’s English 104 class.
Within two weeks, I realized teaching Spanish was just a placeholder until I found something more worthwhile. And what better field than the one that started it all—philosophy? This wasn’t due to some grand enlightenment, but to something far more superficial: the coolness of Albert Camus. Yes, it was that simple. I declared myself a philosophy major because Camus is cool.
Maybe not the best reason to base the next two years of my education on, but hey, Camus is objectively cool. In a twist of cruel, absurd irony, I found myself studying analytic philosophy. For those unfamiliar, the stereotype is that philosophy majors are mysterious, deep thinkers who ponder unanswerable questions under a tree and occasionally dabble in the fine art of non-conformity. Those are often continental philosophers who explore existentialism, phenomenology, and deconstruction with a poetic flair. Instead, I ended up with the serious thinkers of analytic philosophy who focus on clarity, logical analysis, and scientific rigor. And you know what? I loved it. I wouldn’t change a thing.
Why does any of this matter? Because I think you should read some Camus. He was well acquainted with the grainy side of life, and his writings showcase his willingness to push beyond the unfortunate circumstances often thrust upon us without reason. I’m not writing here to bore you with his biography; that's something I hope you discover on your own. I’m here to encourage you to read Camus in the hopes you find him as cool as I did, even if you don’t believe life is absurd.
Start with the following:
Albert Camus SEP Entry
The Stranger Novel
The Fall Novel
The Myth of Sisyphus Essay
Exile and the Kingdom Short Stories
