In Memory: Albert Camus
Today is Friday, 4 January 2008.
On this date in 1960, Albert Camus died in a tragic car accident. He was only 46.
Camus always denied he was an existentialist, but, I’m an existentialist, and we existentialists believe that existence precedes essence, that is, that (I’ll spare you the intermediate steps of analysis) human beings are not as rocks, acted upon, but independent actors (subjects, not objects), and, when we act as if we were rocks, and refuse to choose responsibly our actions and their consequences … well, we can pretend we are rocks, but we are not, and the full weight of moral responsibility nevertheless falls eternally upon us.
"If nothing had any meaning, you would be right. But there is something that still has a meaning." Second Letter to a German Friend, December 1943.
On this date in 1960, Albert Camus died in a tragic car accident. He was only 46.
Camus always denied he was an existentialist, but, I’m an existentialist, and we existentialists believe that existence precedes essence, that is, that (I’ll spare you the intermediate steps of analysis) human beings are not as rocks, acted upon, but independent actors (subjects, not objects), and, when we act as if we were rocks, and refuse to choose responsibly our actions and their consequences … well, we can pretend we are rocks, but we are not, and the full weight of moral responsibility nevertheless falls eternally upon us.
"If nothing had any meaning, you would be right. But there is something that still has a meaning." Second Letter to a German Friend, December 1943.
posted by HH at 6:22 AM
1 Comments:
Ah, so you do not believe in La Forza del Destino? I will give some thought to this "do not be a rock" philosphy. Perhaps it would better serve.
Always a pleasure to read your thoughts.
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