Ever feel like you're just pushing a rock uphill, only to watch it roll right back down? Yeah, me too. Lately, I've been thinking a lot about this old Greek myth about a king named Sisyphus. It's got me thinking about life, purpose, and this whole crazy academic job market thing.
So, Sisyphus was a clever dude, maybe *too* clever. He basically cheated death. For a while, nobody could die because Sisyphus had trapped the god of death himself. Sounds great, right? Well, not so much. Eventually, death got free, and Zeus, the head honcho of the gods, was super ticked off. He punished Sisyphus with this truly bizarre torture: rolling a giant boulder up a hill for eternity. Every time he got to the top, the rock would roll back down, and he'd have to start all over. Forever.
It's a pretty grim story, and it's got me wondering a couple of things. First, why doesn't Sisyphus just give up? Why keep pushing the rock? Second, what if he just smashed the boulder to pieces?
I mean, there are stories where people stuck in these endless loops find a way out. Think "Groundhog Day" where Bill Murray learns to be a better person. Or that awesome show "Russian Doll" where Nadia figures out how to break the time loop. So, what's stopping Sisyphus?
Some folks say that Sisyphus is like a human perpetual motion machine. Like Charlie Chaplin, constantly working but never actually achieving anything. Amelia Groom called him "a slinky on a treadmill." He is always doing something, but never getting anywhere. It's a depressing way to see life, isn't it? Always busy, never fulfilled.
The thing is, maybe Sisyphus's punishment isn't the rock itself. Maybe it's the fact that there's no end goal. No purpose. No point in anything. That's more terrifying, isn't it? To just exist without any reason why?
I think having something to strive for, even if it's a bit pointless, is better than having nothing at all. It's like, having that rock gives Sisyphus *something* to do. Albert Camus, a famous writer, even said we should imagine Sisyphus as being *happy*. Happy with his rock.
The ability to choose *what* you want to strive for is the big thing. It's a privilege, honestly. And lately, especially with the academic job market being as rough as it is, I find myself asking: "Am I pushing the right rock?" Is what I am working for worth it? And what if it is not?
Sisyphus's real curse is that he's immortal. He can't escape the loop. He can't find meaning because there's no end in sight. It's a warning, I guess. Be careful what you wish for, especially if it involves living forever. Because sometimes, the best part of a journey is knowing it will eventually end.
So, that's where I'm at. Thinking about rocks, and gods, and what it all means. What about you? What's your "rock," and are you happy pushing it? Let me know in the comments!
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Thanks for sharing
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