How did Albert Camus believe people should respond to life’s absurdity?

Albert Camus argued that life is inherently meaningless, yet humans possess an innate, futile drive to seek order and answers. He defined this conflict as the absurd.1

Rather than succumbing to despair or nihilism, Camus proposed that individuals should respond to this absurdity through a process of conscious rebellion:

• Acceptance: The first step is to acknowledge and embrace the fact that life is absurd.1
• Rebellion: Rejecting suicide, one must continue to live and struggle despite the lack of inherent meaning. Camus used the myth of Sisyphus—condemned to roll a boulder up a hill for eternity—as a metaphor for this persistent, defiant struggle.1
• Joyful Defiance: Camus suggested that one should find freedom and identity by rejoicing in the struggle itself. By finding joy in the act of rolling the boulder, the individual asserts their existence against the indifference of the universe.1

Ultimately, Camus believed that by fully embracing the struggle without the false hope of a higher meaning, the individual gains true definition and identity.1