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Albert Camus, the Philosopher of Contradiction

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The real reason why it is difficult to understand Camus's "The Stranger" is that Camus's philosophy itself contains logical contradictions that it cannot resolve on its own.
Camus cries out for rebellion while rejecting the essential meaning and purpose of life, yet he fails to provide any answer as to where that rebellion should actually lead.
By denying both the hope found in faith and the surrender found in suicide, and by telling us to face the cold absurdity while paradoxically claiming we can enjoy happiness, he is merely forcing the concept of Epicurean happiness (pleasure) into a space of meaninglessness.
A prime example is the concluding sentence of "The Myth of Sisyphus": "One must imagine Sisyphus happy."
Because of this terrible paradox—seeking happiness within a purposeless rebellion—Camus fails to provide an answer to absurdity, making it impossible for him to avoid the title of the "philosopher of contradiction."
During his lifetime, Camus left behind the remark that "the most absurd death is to die in a car accident," and ironically, he died in such an absurd accident.
Whether he met his death through a truly unfortunate coincidence or if it was a suicide disguised as an accident remains uncertain.
This is because there is a strong possibility that he fled because he could not endure his own philosophical contradictions.
Just as Nietzsche, unable to withstand the impossible contradiction of loving even a hellish life (Amor Fati), eventually collapsed into mental illness.
Camus, too, likely could not resolve the agonizing contradiction of being told to face the absurd yet be happy.
Since choosing suicide would have meant self-negating the very philosophy of rebellion he championed his entire life, one cannot rule out the possibility that he escaped from his contradictions by using his own words regarding the "most absurd accident."
The incomprehensible act of riding alone in a friend's car, despite having already purchased train tickets for himself and his family, lends further credibility to the speculation that it was a staged accident.
"There is but one truly serious philosophical problem, and that is suicide."
(From the introduction of The Myth of Sisyphus)

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