Depression has become a defining social epidemic, affecting individuals worldwide and challenging societal assumptions about happiness and success. While mainstream approaches to depression emphasize productivity, fulfillment, and mental wellness, absurdist writer Franz Kafka offer a different perspective. For them, depression reflects the inherent absurdity of human life—a world in which people seek meaning in a universe that offers none. His stories, filled with protagonists trapped in incomprehensible systems and endless struggles, suggest that the despair and alienation central to depression are intrinsic to the human condition. Rather than resisting this reality, Kafka’s perspective challenges society to confront the absurd head-on, embracing its discomfort as a path to deeper understanding. In this way, Kafka’s insights offer a striking counterpoint to mainstream narratives of mental wellness, reframing depression as more than an ailment—it is an essential, albeit painful, acknowledgment of life’s absurdity.
Absurdist literature centers on the existential tension between humanity’s desire for meaning and the universe’s indifference. Camus, a foundational figure in absurdist philosophy, argues that individuals suffer not because life is meaningless but because they expect it to hold meaning. In The Myth of Sisyphus, Camus illustrates this struggle through the Greek myth of Sisyphus, condemned to roll a boulder uphill for eternity. For Camus, Sisyphus’s struggle mirrors the human condition: people, like Sisyphus, push against life’s absurdity, seeking answers that may never come (Camus, 1991). Yet Camus claims that, paradoxically, there is freedom in embracing this futility. To “imagine Sisyphus happy,” as Camus famously suggests, is to accept life as it is, free from the burden of imposed meaning (Camus, 1991). This perspective shifts how depression might be interpreted. Society views depression as something to be eradicated, with recovery often defined in terms of returning to productivity and happiness. However, from an absurdist viewpoint, the societal push for meaning and productivity could worsen depression, as it sets an impossible standard. Depression, then, may not be a condition to be “fixed” but an understandable reaction to the absurdity of existence. The absurdist response to depression might encourage individuals to abandon the pursuit of Albert Camus and Franz Kafka are two absurdist authors whose backgrounds deeply inform their philosophies. Camus, living in the shadow of war and conflict, witnessed the frailty of societal structures and the pervasive search for meaning in times of crisis. His novels, such as The Stranger, feature characters alienated from societies that expect happiness and conformity but fail to provide genuine fulfillment. Camus would likely critique the depression epidemic as rooted in society’s inability to confront the reality of life’s absurdity. “Revolt gives value to life. … To a man devoid of blinders, there is no finer sight than that of the intelligence at grips with a reality that transcends it (Camus, The Myth of Sisyphus)" Kafka’s work similarly explores the meaninglessness of human struggles in an indifferent world. In The Trial, Kafka presents a protagonist, Josef K., trapped in a faceless, oppressive bureaucracy—a metaphor for life’s incomprehensible demands and the endless pursuit of societal approval (Kafka, 1998). Kafka’s critique implies that the systems designed to offer order and purpose often create alienation, as they ignore the individual’s need for authenticity. Kafka would argue that modern society’s treatment of depression, which often involves labeling and medicating individuals, might intensify the problem by reducing people to mere cases. In his view, depression is a natural reaction to a world that treats people impersonally. Through Camus and Kafka’s perspectives, absurdist authors bring personal and philosophical insights into their critiques of societal expectations, questioning the notion that happiness and productivity are universal solutions. For these writers, depression is an indication of the individual’s awareness of life’s inherent absurdity, a confrontation with the limits of meaning within societal structures. Absurdist literature critiques society’s focus on productivity and happiness, arguing that these ideals may worsen feelings of despair. “It is seen that the entire world before us is absurd because man does not determine the cause of actions in this world. Though man has no control over the cause of action in the world around him, man has the choice to conform to the social/religious established structure of control. He has another choice to rebel against such structures” (Ezeugwu et al., 2022) Absurdist authors would argue that these pressures represent humanity’s futile attempts to impose meaning on life, a concept that directly aligns with Camus’s ideas in The Myth of Sisyphus. Society’s obsession with happiness and productivity demands that individuals fulfill an absurd ideal, pushing them toward frustration and despair. Absurdist philosophy also proposes that embracing life’s inherent meaninglessness can be a path to peace for those experiencing depression. ”Sisyphus endures his fate. But what makes him heroic is not just that he suffers his fate, it is because he is ‘superior’ to it. Sisyphus does not weep and lament his state and condition” (Timrayner, 2014b) Camus would argue that happiness lies not in productivity but in the ability to acknowledge and accept the absurdity of existence. This perspective contrasts sharply with typical approaches to mental health, which focus on symptom reduction and conformity to societal norms.
Kafka’s The Trial reflects how societal systems impose arbitrary demands on individuals, leaving them in cycles of meaningless activity. Josef K.’s struggle in the novel exemplifies the absurdity of life’s endless demands, where individuals face pressures they cannot understand or satisfy. Applied to the depression epidemic, Kafka might argue that labeling depression as a condition to be “cured” ignores its role as a natural response to existential conflicts. Society’s approach may deepen feelings of alienation, as people are treated as cases in systems that often disregard their authentic experiences. Absurdists suggest that true peace comes not from resolving depressive symptoms but from understanding and accepting their place in a world without inherent purpose. By viewing depression as a response to existential conflict rather than solely a clinical condition, absurdism encourages new approaches to mental health treatment. For mental health professionals, it suggests that recovery need not hinge on happiness and productivity but might instead involve helping individuals explore acceptance of life’s absurdity. For scholars and students, it challenges traditional views of mental health, calling for deeper investigation into how societal expectations shape our understanding of happiness and suffering. Absurdist authors Albert Camus and Franz Kafka offer an unconventional yet meaningful perspective on the depression epidemic, suggesting it is a reaction to life’s inherent absurdity rather than a flaw to be corrected. Camus argues that life’s absurdity is inevitable, and only by embracing it can individuals find a kind of peace. Kafka similarly portrays the futility of seeking purpose within indifferent societal systems. Both authors imply that depression is not merely a mental health issue but a natural response to the disconnect between societal expectations and the human condition.
By embracing the absurdity of existence, individuals might find a new way to live with depression—not by eliminating it but by accepting it as part of the broader human experience. Absurdist literature encourages people to redefine meaning on their own terms, rejecting societal pressures in favor of an authentic relationship with life’s inherent uncertainty. This perspective does not deny the pain of depression but offers a path that acknowledges suffering without demanding resolution, suggesting that peace may be found not in happiness but in the courage to live with life’s unavoidable contradictions.
References
Camus, A. (1991). The myth of Sisyphus
Ezeugwu, C. A., Chukwuebuka, U. B., Odoh, O. E., Ojukwu, C. K., Orabueze, F. O., & Onuoha, M. V. (2022). Sequence of conformism and Revolt in Albert Camus’ The Plague: A psycho-analytical confrontation of religious exploitation in the contemporary society.
Cogent Arts and Humanities, 9(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/23311983.2021.2015882
Kafka, F. (1998). The trial (W. Muir & E. Muir, Trans.). Schocken Books.
Timrayner. (2014, September 23). Camus, absurdity, and revolt. Philosophy for Change. https://philosophyforchange.wordpress.com/2010/05/17/camus-authenticity-and-revolt/
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