ABSURDISM

By Tanmoy Rajbanshi
 Definition
 Absurdism is a philosophical view that
stresses the meaninglessness of human
existence in a meaningless universe.
It is concerned chiefly with human
existence. It is only a human being, and not an
animal, that can move a step back and observe
the meaninglessness, pointlessness and the
purposelessness of existence.
 Meaning of “Absurd”
 In order to understand absurdism properly, it is necessary to know the meaning of the
word. Absurd means foolish, nonsense, ridiculous, meaningless, purposeless etc.
 Human existence is meaningless, according to this particular philosophical view. It has
no inherent meaning. What gives your life meaning----playing cricket, reading books,
working as a labourer, religion, God? All of them, and at the same time none of them.
Human existence lacks meaning. We ourselves give meaning to our life. There is no fixed
track that one is to follow.
 Just like human existence, the universe also is absurd. We cannot explain the working
of the universe by means of reason, nor can we realize God with what little capacity we
are endowed with. We are therefore lonely creatures, roaming purposelessly about in a
purposeless universe.
 As we can see, therefore, absurdism is all about a conflict arising out of the human
tendency to find meaning and the ultimate failure to do so. What is life but an incessant
series of heard work. Just suppose, I have a particular goal in life. I work hard to achieve
it, but I may end up in failure or attaining something else or I may even die before I reach
my goal. I may dream of marrying a beautiful lady but may end up marrying one
detestably ugly. Are not all these absurd in a way? Human existence is therefore
absolutely absurd. The journey from womb to tomb is as if one from nothingness to
nothingness.
 Origin of Absurdism
 Absurdism had its origin in the existential
philosophy of Soren Kierkegaard. He was a
Danish philosopher of the nineteenth century.