The absurd is the essential concept and the first truth.
Hear the haunting words of Albert Camus, the philosopher of rebellion and exile, who declared: “The absurd is the essential concept and the first truth.” These words rise like a strange flame in the night, for they call us to face not comfort, but chaos. In them, Camus tells us that before we can speak of meaning, purpose, or destiny, we must first confront the absurd—the clash between the human hunger for order and the universe’s great silence. All other truths, he says, are built upon this first one: that existence itself resists our yearning for clarity.
The meaning of this declaration is profound. The absurd is not simply nonsense or folly—it is the recognition that life offers no easy answers, that the world does not bend itself to our expectations. We desire justice, yet often witness injustice. We seek meaning, yet are met with indifference. This tension, this unresolvable conflict between longing and reality, is what Camus names the absurd. To acknowledge it is not despair but honesty, the courage to look existence in the eye without illusions. Thus he calls it the first truth, the foundation upon which all authentic living must rest.
The ancients too glimpsed this abyss. In the cries of Job, who demanded answers from God and was met with a whirlwind; in the tragedies of Sophocles, where noble men fell by fate they could not comprehend—there lies the shadow of the absurd. They sensed, as Camus declared, that life’s deepest mystery is its refusal to conform to human reason. But where the ancients often turned to gods and fate, Camus turned to human defiance: if the world offers no inherent meaning, then we must create meaning in spite of it.
Consider the story of Sisyphus, the ancient king condemned to push a boulder up the mountain only for it to roll back down. To the Greeks, his fate was one of eternal futility. To Camus, it became the perfect image of the absurd: man condemned to labor without ultimate reward. And yet, Camus declared, we must imagine Sisyphus happy, for in his acceptance of the absurd, he finds freedom. He embraces the truth of his condition, and in doing so, he becomes greater than his punishment.
History too reveals this truth. Think of those who faced hopeless struggle—resistance fighters in occupied lands during the Second World War, of which Camus himself was one. They knew the odds were against them, that their struggle seemed futile against the vast machinery of tyranny. And yet they resisted, not because success was certain, but because resistance itself gave meaning. This is the defiance born of confronting the absurd: to act nobly even when reason offers no guarantee of victory.
Why is this the essential concept? Because it frees us. When we accept that life is absurd, we are no longer bound by false promises or hollow comforts. We stop waiting for the universe to explain itself. Instead, we take responsibility for our own lives, our own actions, our own values. In embracing the absurd, we find the courage to live fully, passionately, without illusion. To deny it is to live in denial; to face it is to awaken.
The lesson for us is clear: do not flee from the absurdity of life. Do not demand that the world make sense before you begin to live. Rather, accept the first truth, and build your life upon it. Create meaning through love, through courage, through action. Like Sisyphus, embrace the weight of existence and make it your own. In doing so, you will discover freedom—not from struggle, but within it.
Therefore, O child of tomorrow, remember Camus’ teaching: the absurd is the essential concept and the first truth. Do not fear it; do not deny it. Let it be the ground upon which you stand, the fire that drives you to live authentically. For in facing the absurd with courage, you transform despair into defiance, and emptiness into freedom.
HLBui hoang long
Camus' statement makes me reflect on how we approach life’s uncertainties. The idea that the absurd is the essential truth suggests that the universe’s lack of meaning is fundamental to our experience. But is this something we should accept, or does it fuel a sense of existential crisis? How can we move forward when the very concept of meaning is questioned by the absurdity of existence?
KVHoang Thi Khanh Van
I find Camus' perspective on absurdity to be both liberating and disheartening. If the absurd is the first truth, then perhaps our attempts to find meaning are futile. But if that’s true, why do we continue to search for purpose and understanding? Does accepting the absurdity of life lead to despair, or can it open us up to a more authentic existence free from the burden of meaning?
MHMai Huong
The absurd being the first truth—this quote makes me wonder if it’s possible to live authentically while accepting that the universe is fundamentally indifferent. If the absurd is the essence of our existence, does that mean we should abandon our search for meaning altogether? Or does it give us the freedom to create our own meaning without the constraints of traditional beliefs? How do we navigate this paradox in everyday life?
TNNguyen Thi Thu Ngoc
Camus' idea that the absurd is the first truth challenges traditional concepts of meaning. He implies that the search for meaning itself is absurd because the universe offers no inherent purpose. But can this view actually help us live better lives, or does it leave us feeling empty? How do we deal with the tension between seeking meaning and accepting the absurdity of existence? Is the absurd something we should embrace or reject?
NMle thi nhat minh
Albert Camus' statement about the absurd being the first truth is thought-provoking. He seems to be suggesting that the human experience, at its core, is defined by absurdity—the gap between our desire for meaning and the indifferent universe. But how do we reconcile this view with the pursuit of purpose in life? Is it possible to embrace absurdity and still find personal meaning, or are we doomed to live with this paradox forever?