Sisyphean
- “what does sisyphean mean”
- “one must imagine sisyphus happy meaning”
- “why was sisyphus punished”
- “sisyphean task”
01 · Side by side
Side by side
Comparison sheet
| Aspect | Sisyphean labour | Nihilism |
|---|---|---|
| The task is | Futile and continued | Futile and abandoned |
| Response | Revolt | Withdrawal |
| Hope | Refused as an escape | Irrelevant |
| Camus | Wrote it | Rejected it |
02 · Which one you meant
Which one did you mean?
In shortReaders who land here meaning Sisyphean rather than Nihilism are usually searching for phrases like “what does sisyphean mean”, “one must imagine sisyphus happy meaning”, “why was sisyphus punished”.
Nihilism
- “was nietzsche a nihilist”
- “what is nihilism simply”
- “types of nihilism”
- “nihilism vs absurdism”
03 · Which came first
Which came first
In shortNihilism. 1799 — Friedrich Jacobi uses the word in his open letter to Fichte to negatively characterise transcendental idealism - as an accusation, not a self-description. Earlier German uses are on record for Obereit (1787) and Jenisch (1796).
- 1799
Nihilism. Friedrich Jacobi uses the word in his open letter to Fichte to negatively characterise transcendental idealism - as an accusation, not a self-description. Earlier German uses are on record for Obereit (1787) and Jenisch (1796).
- 1942
Sisyphean. Camus publishes Le Mythe de Sisyphe, turning the figure into an argument about the absurd.
04 · Read either one