down with a heavy yet measured step toward the torment of which he will never know the end. That hour is like a breathing-space which returns as surely as his suffering, that is his hour of consciousness.” Grasping the futility of his toil, Sisyphus abandons hope and “concludes that all is well.” Thus, the joy in life lies not in accomplishment or fulfillment, but rather in “the struggle itself toward the heights.” In other words, Camus argues that true happiness can only be achieved by encountering existence - the good, the bad, the impassioned, the mundane - and, in spite of its meaninglessness, welcoming it. PAGE 37 VOL. 1, NO. 1 ZEITGEIST We should not count on being remembered, nor should we count on fame or fortune or anything else. We should simply relish in the world as it is, because through the absolute acceptance of all painful realities and outcomes, the universe cannot hurt us even if it is absurd. Camus calls this attitude “revolt”, and in it, he finds an indefatigable passion for life. As Sisyphus gnashes his teeth, takes the boulder against his callused shoulder, and lowers his head once again, Camus concludes that “One must imagine Sisyphus happy.”
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