The Existential Paradox

“The art of living well and the art of dying well are one.” ~Epicurus

The existential paradox, in essence, is the tension between the human search for meaning and the apparent meaninglessness of the universe. Humans inherently seek purpose, coherence, and significance in life. But the universe does not provide any inherent meaning or answers, leading to a sense of emptiness and meaninglessness.

Lest we fall into a state of nihilism, something must give. And since we cannot expect the universe to give in, we must give in. But “giving in” does not mean giving up. It means surrendering to Truth. It means embracing reality the way that it is, taking personal responsibility for our interpretation of it (no matter how true or false), and then creating something meaningful despite the inherent paradox or absurdity.

To absurdefy or not to absurdefy, that is the question:

“Accepting the absurdity of everything around us is one step, a necessary experience: it should not become a dead end. It should arouse a revolt that can become fruitful.” ~Albert Camus

Absurdefy (absurd/defy) (v): To actively engage with, challenge, and take ownership of the absurdity of existence by crafting personal meaning, purpose, or narrative despite an indifferent universe.

In Albert Camus's philosophy of Absurdism, he discusses the absurdity of life due to the clash between the human desire for meaning and a fundamentally indifferent universe. To absurdefy means to recognize this clash and, rather than despair, creatively engage with it.

This involves not passively accepting absurdity but actively resisting it through creativity, the will to power, and the will to humor. It's about saying "No" to the idea that life's lack of inherent meaning should dictate one's actions or emotions.

Unlike nihilism, which might see this realization as a reason to give up, absurdefying involves taking responsibility for creating one's own meaning in a universe that offers none. It's an active process of acknowledging the absurdity and then choosing to live with it in a way that affirms human existence.

To absurdefy is thus to engage with life in a way that acknowledges its lack of inherent meaning, yet choosing to act with purpose, humor, and creativity, thus making one's existence a testament to human resilience and imagination in the face of an indifferent cosmos.

Absurdefying begins with the recognition of the existential paradox. It's an acceptance that the search for meaning in an indifferent universe creates a fundamental tension or absurdity in human existence.

Rather than succumbing to despair or nihilism as one might expect in the face of such a paradox, absurdefying advocates for a form of creative rebellion. The act of absurdefying directly addresses the existential paradox by taking responsibility for both paradox and absurdity and creating personal meaning despite both.

This is akin to what Camus suggests with the myth of Sisyphus; “one must imagine Sisyphus happy” because he finds his own meaning in his endlessly absurd task. We turn the paradox into a source of freedom rather than despair.

To absurdefy is to live within paradox and absurdity both consciously and conscientiously. It’s the creative act of using the ingredients of paradox and absurdity to create our own narrative. We don’t “solve” the paradox, we learn how to coexist with it. We make it a part of our journey.

When we absurdefy the existential paradox, we propose a way of life that is both defiant and creative. We turn the inherent tension of existence into a powerful force for personal growth and expression.

The art of paradoxical existence:

“Receive without pride. Let go without attachment.” ~Marcus Aurelius

Everything is paradoxical. Everything is on the curve. Everything is anomalous. Nothing is certain except uncertainty. The only thing that doesn’t change is the fact that everything changes. The only absolute is that there are no absolutes. The only Truth is the iteration of the Truth Quest.

Paradox is merely the universe’s love language. Absurdity is its funny accent. The interconnected cosmos speaks a language older than words and it is our responsibility to translate it properly. It’s our responsibility to embrace the existential paradox by absurdefying and iterating with it, in sacred alignment. This requires surrender, nonattachment, and a good sense of humor.

Which just so happens to be the secret ingredients of paradoxical existence: surrender, nonattachment, and a good sense of humor.

Surrender in this context isn't about giving up but about accepting the inherent contradictions of existence. It's acknowledging that life's big questions might not have definitive answers, and that's okay. It allows us to live within paradox rather than fight against it, which paradoxically gives us more freedom to act without the burden of needing everything to make sense. We’re free to flow. We’re free to adapt to moments of chaos or absurdity as part of the human experience, allowing for a more authentic life narrative.

Through the lens of paradoxical existence, nonattachment translates to not being anchored to one side of a paradox. It allows for the fluidity of being both/and rather than either/or, which is essential for truly living paradoxically. Without attachment to how things "should" be, we can appreciate the absurdity of life's contradictions more fully. and build something meaningful out of the chaos.

Humor acts as a release valve for the cognitive dissonance that paradox can create. It’s a key component in dealing with absurdity. It allows us to laugh at the very contradictions that might otherwise cause frustration or despair.

Ultimately, surrender, nonattachment, and a good sense of humor give us power over paradox and absurdity. They give us power over the thousand-and-one clashing thoughts, opinions, and beliefs. They give us power over power itself.

Together, these ingredients form a recipe for not only surviving but thriving in an absurd universe filled with paradoxes, where the art of living becomes the art of embracing contradiction with open-heartedness and a smile that eclipses the abyss.

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By Maysgrafx

About the Author:

Gary Z McGee, a former Navy Intelligence Specialist turned philosopher, is the author of Birthday Suit of God and The Looking Glass Man. His works are inspired by the great philosophers of the ages and his wide-awake view of the modern world.

This article (The Existential Paradox) was originally created and published by Self-inflicted Philosophy and is printed here under a Creative Commons license with attribution to Gary Z McGee and self-inflictedphilosophy.com. It may be re-posted freely with proper attribution, author bio, and this statement of copyright.