The new myth of sisyphus

Is it bold of me to assume we're all the modern sisyphus

I believe I can see the future,

‘cause I repeat the same outine

I think I used to have a purpose

Then again, that might have been a dream - Every Day is Exactly The Same - Nine Inch Nails

The Myth of Sisyphus, as written by my favorite uncle, Albert Camus (we’re not related, I think, but it feels like it), is about the constant struggle and upheaval of life, and about finding meaning in the little things of life instead of focusing on that massive boulder we’re carrying. It’s the foundation of absurdism, which is all about finding joy in the unexpected, and especially finding happiness and meaning through his rebellion against his ridiculous boulder.

Yes, I looked it up, I wanted to make sure I got the meaning right, sue me, Google.

I think we’re all Sisyphus. Except that now Sisyphus isn’t pushing a boulder, he’s clocking in at their 9 to 5 to do spreadsheets and PowerPoint presentations about unnecessary things.

It’s almost as if capitalism looked at the myth of Sisyphus and thought, ‘Wait, is this play about us? And how can we make it worse?’

Capitalism created what I like to call ‘empty jobs’, jobs that are technically unnecessary but required to fulfill employment quotas across the world. Technically, not all of us need to be working for the world to function, a fun fact I learned after four years of studying economics at university and actually working those jobs.

But all of us need to work to buy things, and continue this cycle of capitalism, hence the ‘empty job’. Yeah, capitalism created jobs just so you could buy more things and feed the machine.

But how does that make you Sisyphus? Well, the repetition. Every day is the fucking same.

every day is exactly the same,

there is no love here and there is no pain, - Every Day is Exactly the Same Nine Inch Nails

You plug in your phone and your sex toy before you go to bed, alone. You might read the same book you’ve been reading for a month, which doesn’t bring any emotion out of you (bonus point if it’s a Reese Witherspoon book club pick), or you might go to bed watching a show with 20 seasons. Then you wake up bright and early, morning coffee from the French press because everyone has a French press even though they’re not practical, but apparently the coffee tastes better (you don’t notice the difference). You listen to the same five songs on loop on your way to work to motivate yourself to ‘lock in’, sit in your cubicle, and become a zombie for 8 hours working on things you don’t care about, numbers that make no sense to you but that make sense to your superiors. Then you go home, numb as always, just a clog in an indifferent machine.

We’re all Sisyphus; the thing is that Sisyphus has gotten modern and dystopian. I think of those late 90s anti-corporation movies like Matrix and Fight Club, and sure, they look a little dated now, but boy, have they aged like fine wine in terms of themes. They were about the alienation of the worker facing his work, something Sisyphus faces every time his boulder falls, something we face every day.

I’m currently unemployed, not that I’m making any money and living the dream life, though, and the stress of money keeps me up at night, but I’m enjoying myself nonetheless. But I know that routine all too well.

Most desk jobs are unnecessary. Point blank. If you’ve ever wondered why you’re short on assignments at work, that’s why. How many times have I just stared at the ticking clock, begging for it to be 6 so that I could leave because I had nothing to do for hours?

If you’re on Substack, I’m assuming you’re creative, so this is easily fixable. Switch your boring TV show time/ boring book time, with Substack time, change books, switch to something more in your niche, watch a short film instead of watching a long TV show. I know it helps me; this little change in my routine is the difference between happiness and depression. Change your meals, don’t constantly eat the same thing, even if you’re the one cooking, do something different every day. It doesn’t have to be a big change, but change a veggie in your salad, add quinoa, I don’t know what you like. Listen to new music on your way to work. I used to do an album a day back when I used to work.

The boulder you’re carrying will start to feel lighter with changes in your routine, and your life won’t seem so monotonous. So when the rock falls, instead of making a massive tud, it’ll make a softer tud. Because every day isn’t the same anymore, you’ve changed the routine. The rock isn’t the same every day anymore. And you have something new to look forward to every night: a short film, or a quick good read.

Here’s something the Myth of Sisyphus doesn’t say: every day isn’t the same because every day Sisyphus gets more buffed, and he pushes his rock up the hill faster.

It’s not all dark.

From Marseille with Love,

*vapes away*