camus' little dark age
Whenever I listen to the song "Little Dark Age" by MGMT, I can't help but think of Camus' Rebellion and Style (The Rebel). The lyrics evoke a yearning to break from soulless conformity and find one's own path. The hypnotic yet ominous instrumentation creates a dystopian atmosphere resembling the absurdity Camus saw in post-war Europe.
This article is an opinionated commentary connecting Camus' ideas to observations about contemporary life, with the disclaimer that these are my own perspectives and not objective claims of truth.
Camus defines rebellion as a rejection of dictatorship, tyranny, and the negation of human dignity. For Camus, true rebellion upholds the inherent worth and freedom of each person. It protests against systems or ideologies that reduce humans to mere objects or statistics.
In the modern world, we continue to see rebellion erupt in response to violations of civil and political rights. From the Arab Spring to Black Lives Matter, grassroots uprisings defend the rebellion thesis that Camus put forth. They assert humanity's eternal desire to shape its own destiny rather than submit to tyrannical control.
Another key aspect of Camus' philosophy was the notion of "style" as a form of self-expression against conformity. For Camus, living authentically means cultivating one's personal style through art, culture, morality, and thoughtful dissent. He warned against mass standardized cultures that discourage individualism.
In our increasingly digital age dominated by social media algorithms and corporate monopolies, we see new threats to cultivating diverse styles and dissenting voices. Echo chambers of misinformation also challenge diversity of thought. Therefore, Camus' affirmation of individual style remains an important rebuttal against 21st-century pressures toward uniformity.
Overall, Camus saw rebellion and individual style as complementary expressions of our freedom and dignity. Both resist reductionist ideologies that diminish human complexity. His thoughts still resonate as we navigate political polarizations and social homogenization.
All alone, open-eyed
Burn the page, my little dark age