Stoicism vs Absurdism ?

[KILZ FILLZ]

A convo with a buddy of mine during a game of pool kinda opened me up to these philosophies. He was telling me about how he subscribes to stoicism and he recommended Marcus Aurelius’ book, Meditations, to me. I got it but haven’t cracked it open yet, about halfway though reading something else I want to finish first. 
 

What I gathered from him breaking it down for me is that stoicism is roughly the idea you don’t have control over anything but yourself and your own ethics, so that’s how you should pattern your life and that is what you should focus on?
 

while dipping my toe into this, I came across absurdism and Albert Camus. I have a copy of The Stranger coming that I am eager to get into as well. 
 

my brief dip into absurdism had reallyyyyy resonated with me. Most of my life I have been saying and believing that the world/universe is just chaos, there’s no rhyme or reason, no greater plan,  everyone is just trying their best and no one out here really has it together as much as they’d like you to think. I had no idea there was a philosophy that aligned with exactly what my personal beliefs are and it’s pretty exciting to me. 
 

have any of you gotten into either of these? Any suggestion of which book I should get into first? Are these philosophies compatible with each other? Is there maybe a third that fits in this convo you think I might like?

[Mercer]

Sounds interesting, especially Stoicism. I see so many people that would benefit from that. They're struggling to control things that are impossible, and well beyond their control, like what's in another person's mind. For example, a romantic partner that isn't a good fit for them. If they put that much energy toward what they do have control over, like getting their own shit together and scooping another partner,  their original struggle wouldn't even matter. I've recently been given a leadership position in an electrical company, and my own personal stoicism (helped greatly by prescription medication) is appreciated in the high stress environment our team of 60 men are working in.

 

Not so sure about absurdism. Not that there isn't chaos, and randomness we all don't have any control over. I just need to have a purpose for myself, and don't have it in me to passively resign to my life being meaningless, even if it is in the big picture. I feel like we can control much more than we give ourselves credit for. Pretty big on preparing for worst case scenarios ie: insurance, emergency repair kits, trauma kits, weapons, etc. Obvious considering I'd like to get rid of the federal government, which most people hate it just as much, if not more than I do but just accept that it's "necessary" and just roll with it. I have a hard time with accepting stuff like that, and actively look for patterns, and purpose even in what other's may view as abject chaos.

[KILZ FILLZ]

8 hours ago, Mercer said:

Sounds interesting, especially Stoicism. I see so many people that would benefit from that. They're struggling to control things that are impossible, and well beyond their control, like what's in another person's mind. For example, a romantic partner that isn't a good fit for them. If they put that much energy toward what they do have control over, like getting their own shit together and scooping another partner,  their original struggle wouldn't even matter. I've recently been given a leadership position in an electrical company, and my own personal stoicism (helped greatly by prescription medication) is appreciated in the high stress environment our team of 60 men are working in.

 

Not so sure about absurdism. Not that there isn't chaos, and randomness we all don't have any control over. I just need to have a purpose for myself, and don't have it in me to passively resign to my life being meaningless, even if it is in the big picture. I feel like we can control much more than we give ourselves credit for. Pretty big on preparing for worst case scenarios ie: insurance, emergency repair kits, trauma kits, weapons, etc. Obvious considering I'd like to get rid of the federal government, which most people hate it just as much, if not more than I do but just accept that it's "necessary" and just roll with it. I have a hard time with accepting stuff like that, and actively look for patterns, and purpose even in what other's may view as abject chaos.

I really wish I’ve read Camus and can talk about absurdism with you, while understanding what I’m really talking about. 
 

I really , really relate to the idea we are specks of dust in the cosmos, and something that fucks us up today is incredibly insignificant. But I’m worried me saying that, doesn’t even represent absurdism?
 

something I’ve muddled for at least the last two decades has been “will this affect me in the next 5 years?” And if the answer is NO, I make an attempt to disregard it. 

[Mercer]

@KILZ FILLZThat might be where I got my "speck of dust" saying from. I've paraphrased it into "There's billions of us this mud ball floating through an infinite space like a speck of dust. Do you really think ______ is that important?".

 

 

 

 

Relevant meme:

 

[KILZ FILLZ]