Why You're So Lonely | Camus' The Stranger 

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"Those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music" - Nietzsche

Albert Camus might just be one of the most handsome philosophers ever

I clicked on this video because of the sun.

there is only one thing worse than being alone. Finding someone who makes loneliness disapear, only to lose that someone

I often times find myself alone. I'm autistic, so I can't dance to the tune of other people as much as I'd like. Not that I haven't tried, mind you, it's just that I am incapable of picking up social queues or reading body language. There was one time a coworker flirted with me for a few weeks and implied heavily she wanted to go out with me, but I never knew. Someone had to tell me after the fact. To me it's like most of the world is speaking in riddles, but I can only hear the literal words they say. Not that I want to be seen as a victim though. My condition is a blessing and a curse, and it's up to me to make the most of it.

The rate you upload is incredible. I have been working through your catalogue, love your oration style. You bring enthusiasm to Philosophy which is palpable and makes it so much more engaging. Don't burn yourself out though! We will still be here, don't worry.

Damn the timing was perfect, I really need this because i have a presentation at school and it's about this exact book. Now I'll look really smart and not have to read the second part of the thing today. Thank you bro

Its interesting how closely this sense of apathy aligns with the symptoms of Psychopathy. In many ways, there are many people who are literally indifferent to the world around them...

"Vanity, all under the sun is vanity."

This video dropped at a strangely personal time... it was only a few minutes ago that I was thinking about this very same thing.

Lost my mom Friday, I’m 37, and some of the lessons I’ve learned from your videos/lectures, along with others, have helped me find the inner strength to be the strong and stoic one this week and that in turn is comforting others. So your passion and work is having real world effects out here brotha. If we could get the world to think about the topics you cover, we maybe could have a calmer and more compassionate world, instead of whatever this is we find ourselves in.

finally a vid bout Camus! Thank u :)

I have never seen a better unintentional advertisement for a novel than this. Thank you Joe, I will now be ordering The Stranger and reading it for myself.

Your work here is always marvelous. Straight to the point, intelligent, well made. It's great to see when you upload a new video, and I always feel like I learn a lot from your content. Truly, thank you.

Just read this one recently. Honestly it was just such an unsettling read, Mersault feels so empty and separate from humanity, and he almost reminded me of rhe protagonist in "The Wasp Factory"

Found your channel 2 months ago thanks to RU-vid recommendations, since then I'm addicted to your videos, keep up the great work bro, wish you all the best in this universe!

Hi joe, just wanted to say your videos are fantastic and it's crazy how you manage to upload so consistently, i really appreciate it.

Another incredibly thought inducing video! Love seeing your channel grow and hearing your different takes on pieces you have covered before :). My nan gave me this book the other week which I find almost uncanny now you’ve brought this out! Keep up the great work

Being alienated by the absurd and pointlessness shows a sign of mental weakness. To understand everything has no value and still value the world around takes a lot more inner strength.

I was literally just thinking about these exact topics for the past few days! great video :D

I appreciate the videos. It helps me self examine and take a sober step back and evaluate life. Smart man, amazing content ❤

I’m a newcomer to your channel, and I’m very glad I am. :) Your content has been some of the meaningful and engaging I’ve found regarding philosophical works & debates. Keep it up!

Another great video, been really enjoying the Absurdist content in particular, highly relevant

I think the indifference Mersault demonstrates can be somewhat attributed to the fact that Camus' inspiration was based on an autistic friend rather than shades of indifference per se.

Your command of the English language and interpretation of The Stranger is extremely impressive. Very engaging. Thanks!

Love your videos mate, always hella enlightening and they always open me up to new ways of thinking

I'm schizoid, and this novel ilustrates how i feel about everything

If we live our lives by this indifference, it becomes harder to love. For dostoevsky, everything settles down when you can love but after reading camus, i wonder if we can still love and have that much excitement if we aren't concerned by most matters

My name is Marsel (same pronunciation) and I have never felt so attacked.

I remember reading this book during high school for a reading assignment a couple of years back. Though I was only 15 and knew little to nothing about philosophy, I thouroughly enjoyed this book. Though I was looking through this book through a slightly different lens (bc I had a very bare-bones definition in my head as to what existentialism and absurdism was at the time), I still thought the book was really insightful and standout-ish compared to other books I normally read (fiction, fantasy/sci-fi, etc). I remember oddly liking the ending, where Mersault came to the conclusion of coming to terms with the meaninglessness/objectiveness of life and full on embracing it, but if u were to ask me about the rest of the book in a deeper manner i wouldn't be able to answer that for you at the time. But then came the work and assignments following the reading and it just completely threw Camus' message out the window. The next month following the conclusion of the book were analyses of Mersault, why he behaved this way, why he was so indifferent and objective and cold towards everything, trying to come up with some meaningful explanation to all of this. In a socratic seminar I was in, the rest of the class came to the conclusion that Mersualt is just flat out weird and a straight up sociopath. And another assignment consisted of coming up with a potential traumatic childhood backstory that could serve as an explanation to Mersault's strangeness. No one else enjoyed the book because they all thought Meursault was weird and unrelatable. Of course, for the sake of my grades, I had to follow along with the workload but none of the assignments I had to do ever sat right with me however, despite not fully understanding Camus' depth of absurdism - but with the help of this video I understand now. Not only did my teacher completely miss the message but she ran away with it in the complete opposite direction. It was never about any deeper meaning or explanation as to why Mersault behaved that way, rather the complete opposite, and how it effects everyone else in the story. I'm not really sure where I'm going with this little anecdote of mine but I think this story is simply so ironic that it's almost funny and worth sharing. I'm definitely going to reread this book now that I can understand it on a deeper level (and without the predispositions provided by the school curriculum) and I might even bother looking into Camus' other works after. Thank you for making this video, it really helped me answer some question's I've been holding onto for a while

I fine comfort in the meaninglessness of the universe too. So many people don't see it but I do. Meaninglessness means that sure there is not a deity or entity that ultimately cares about you, but that also just makes connecting to others all the more important right? AFter all we're future corpses, no matter how you slice it. And if you can't do that, because of the absurdity of others,like our protagonist and Camu himself, that is also fine. Take comfort in the fact the universe doesn't care either way what happens. Why should you if others can't see that? Many may see this as cruel prospect, but I see it as liberative. No expectation can possibly be forced on you objectively, because it doesn't matter. Reality is the true sandbox rpg game.

I do love this channel. Thanks for the content.🙌

Perfect timing, just finished reading this. Great perspective

Your videos are so dense and i love it!

Loved this episode. When I read 'The Stranger' the first time, I couldn't put it down. I loved it to the point of tears.

Philosophy is a voluntary living among ice and high mountains!

Finally a video on The Stranger!! I was hoping to see your take on it and I loved it, this helped me settle down some of the ideas I have around it. I found this book on a very difficult time in my life (as the last five years have been) and grief had slowly turned me onto the idea of things truly feeling absurd. I feel like I've been mimmicking what life is supposed to be like since I read this book, with the fear of feeling that like Mersault, my questioning might bring more trouble than joy and it might make people around me put more distance between us. It just feels wrong to know pain and to know it's inflicted on others, but still feel no strong reaction towards it too. Today a new idea came up- perhaps things are absurd, but seeing comfort on it instead of straight out allienation might be the way to go. Maybe I can go through life, and see blue skyes and storms alike, and maybe once things are done I'll die knowing I still experienced everything on it's truest form, without bias or opinions to sway me one way or another onto what is happening in front of me. Perhaps this way too, pain and grief might not be as heavy.

I'm starting to see a pattern suggested by philosophy and embraced by modern psychology: pursue authenticity and reject conformity. It seems that we are trapped in a web of toxic relationships with narcissists. Maybe that's why philosophers are executed. They inspire rebellion. Don't settle. Break the cycle. Rebel.

I finished the book nearly a minute or two before you released this video, excellent summary and insight into the novel as always

I just finished reading this earlier this week let’s go. These are awesome to watch after i finish a book

love this video! I just finished the book yesterday and saw your video and I was like LET'S GOOO😂

Really enjoying these Camus videos

Great analysis - Thank you!

Much appreciation from Pakistan! I read 'The Stranger' a few months ago, and ironically enough was completely indifferent to it.Your video started playing unintentionally today and as always I was engrossed.This is a fantastic take on something i was not only wondering about since some days but experiencing as I proceeded further into my late teens... As for what you've said aptly at 19:26 it is spot on with my own personal experiences!!!It is far easier to imagine we are tafrgets or victims of fate or the universe than to imagine that simply...we are nothing of any importance to these forces at all. Same as with people ; the idea that our existence means nothing to anyone or anything is terrifying and a mental anguish like no other .Perhaps,it is the "will to power "as Nietzsche calls it or our own ego's defences breaking at the notion of our self being nothing important. It surely harms your self importance and esteem when realized organically! Then,it also seems to lead onto a further,more painful realization,that if nothing cares abojt our existence that our existence itself is futile or ineffectual. For to effect something one must have power over some aspects of it,be of some consideration in the first place.I'd even go as far as to say that we experience the Absurd when much like (yet much more mundanely) Kafka,we are faced with circumstances,society or systems that donot acknowledge our individual existence,as they're indifferent to it.

I read this book recently, love having an analysis from you right after😊

As a fellow Camus enjoyer, I’d love to hear about your reading of Samuel Beckett! In many ways, although he is notoriously enigmatic as a thinker, I feel Beckett to be a successor to Camus’ absurdism, accepting absurdity but further stripping away Camus’ ideas of rebelling against it and ultimately finding happiness. I think Beckett would imagine Sisyphus as simply “going on” :D

Profound insights man, can't wait to read the novel. Another novel with the almost guillotine ending is Stendal's The Red and The Black.

Thanks for uploading.

You are so good at what you post. I love your videos, absofuckinlutely.🤜🏽🤛🏽🤝🏽✨️

Great timing! I just read The Stranger.

Great video! 👍

what an ineffable video man💚💚💚

What if Mersault was meant to be understood as a failed man who couldn't engage with anything amd create no meaning either for himself or for the people around him instead of a lonely and understood hero? Camus himself came to terms with his philosophy and engaged in things that he deemed worthy such as resilience, theatre or literature

Thank you for adding meaning to my life

My Mom was the one who suggested that I read 'The Stranger' as a teenager. I need to reread it.

This one really resonates. Ill find it to read it!

Philosophy is the main thing to convince and fool yourself while life has its way with you.

Hi from Ecuador! Love your videos, just started to read the brothers karamazov i've been loving doestoyevsky so far!

Great session.

I'm interested in psychology and possibly philosophy, simply love this :)

Your explanation is brilliant

My favorite channel

Would love to see you cover Proust one day! Great video as always!

"I don't belong in the world, that's what it is Something separates me from other people Everywhere I turn, there's something blocking my escape"

Ive come to the realisation now that me and most people would rather be hated by people than face their indifference. There is nothing worse than being a nobody ubiquitously to everyone that supposedly matters. At least when you are hated you are of some significance to an individual or individuals that you have made a visceral emotoonal impact on them in some way, but when you are treated with complete apathy and indifference, you have been given no fuel to feel any sort of love or significance, and I think in term that then breeds hate in those who feel the constant indifference from those they wish felt the contrary towards them.

" We're All Alone Together " High School Philosophical

I think we need to remember _when_ this novel was written. The world was in the throes of being blown apart by the absurd in its most extreme expression. Without this context, it's hard to understand why Camus would create a character so unbelievable as the police interrogator (in real life, they're not flummoxed by psychopaths - they come across them regularly). Camus, his philosophy, and his writing were wrought in the crucible of WW2. This is not to dismiss your analysis. I think it's spot on and a great lens through which to look at our own times.

The IB is making us read this book and I actually love how it delves into philosophical concepts

Last year in april I attended the funeral of my uncle who died of cancer. I sat in the front row next to his coffin and while my family and his friends were crying… I couldn’t force myself to give a single shit about this situation. Maybe even felt slightly amused. Why ? Because while others may knew him as an dependable and hardworking man, I received the other side of his character. The always angry, dissatisfied and prickly dickhead who found it easy and quite possibly stress relieving to lash out at me when given a chance. Thus while being looked up with a scorn from other members of my family, I simply sat there thinking to myself - „Even though they know about his attitude towards me, they still expect me to shed a tear upon his grave ? Why won’t they take MY feelings into consideration ?” And that’s when it hit me. I was all alone with these feelings of mine and while yearning for the understanding from others, I did not took into consideration to shift my point of view of the whole situation. While yes, my feelings were real and true I did not bother to understand what others might felt, thus making the false assumption that they all should have seen him in a way as I did. Once again the question is - why ? Why should they bother ? I’m not the main character of this story so why should they care ? My feelings are mine only and as such I am bound to be left with them for the rest of my life. No one shall ever know how it feels to be me, nor will I ever know how it feels to be you. We are all alone with our feelings and emotions in this world. We can share them, but we can’t feel them in the same way.

Thanks!

You are doing the job well. Thx

You posted at the perfect time...

I was a professional skydiver and BASE jumper. I done it for over a decade, and you can't make those relationships in the real world. I've done CPR on friends and then told their family that their son is dead. All my qualifications are useless in the real world also. So I'm in a shit job that I hate after suffering a horrific injury and the only thing that gets me by are my wife and kids.. I question my ego, I question my narcissistic traits and more importantly I question other people's intelligence. That's wrong and I know it. I often look at others in disgust and dismay at their failed attempts at "living" and their lack of courage to step out of the box. I'm not even sure where I'm going with this, other than that I feel alone.

Fourth + love your moving graphics that explains what the topic is

There are quite few instances in my life recently which has made me wondered if a God exists, this just so happens to be one of them. I have had many sleepless nights in recent memory as i am unable to close my eyes due to a nagging feeling that makes me think i am all alone in this universe. Even a few hours ago, that's what i literally felt in my classroom surrounded by 20 people yet feeling a connection to no one. BUT you just posted a video on this exact topic the moment i needed it! If there exists a God, this sure is a gift from him!

beautiful work good sir

Here for the accent. You provide a perfect shadowing material 😊

Joe we need a video talking about your philosophical beliefs pleaseeeeeee

Hey brother I just felt that you have good orating skills

The truth is; We are never alone but we may convince ourselves or wish that we were alone.

Well this came at the right time.

This video is amazing. I have so much to say because this video really touches upon who I am. Or should I say it helps me to convey who I am? Because believe it or not I can understand Meursault. I am very nihilistic, I don’t see meaning in this universe. In a philosophical sense. It’s not that I don’t value or enjoy anything nor am I indifferent and have no emotions. I laugh I cry and I love. But I also acknowledge the inherent meaninglessness of it all. Growing up I felt very much like Meursault, isolated, indifferent and very confused. I felt like an alien trying to understand other people. Iv read some comments here and they don’t seem to understand Meursault either. During my short life so far I did realise that most people don’t want to accept nihilism because of how existentially frightening it is. Some people can’t rationally process or understand it. It’s difficult to argue for…it’s just something I came to realise one day. Some people think nihilism is at odds fundamentally with other human values that keep society running like morals and ethics. I won’t debate on that too much except that nihilism does not suggest any of that. It is simply the indifference of the universe…which does not care about human morals. But why should that matter? So what if it’s indifferent or meaningless? We can still have love and value. It will just mean nothing or is nothing in the end. But anyways…this type of fundamental isolation is difficult. It has led to me acting as someone else to be friends with others…or I will be completely alienated. The only thing however that makes me continue to feel okay with my isolation is actually literature and fiction. Many people around the world including authors like Camus have conveyed this…they understand it. They constructed a story to convey their understanding and message to tell the story of someone like Meursault or like me. Thus I do not feel completely isolated. I will say though I am afraid to read the stranger because of how painful the emotions I will feel relating to Meursault will bring. My philosophical views do isolate me…but at the very least love and joy can still exist. I’m hoping I can meet people who understand me like this video does😅 one day. Thank you for making this video it’s a very good analysis of the book and it made me want to read it. I have one more story to share. I have a literature teacher who is ironically very religious and moral and ethical. She preaches almost every lesson. I told her once I don’t believe in god. She once asked me when I told her I wanted to read a Russian novel called dead souls if I had ever read the stranger. Her exact words describing the opening is her quoting the main character’s first few lines about the death of his mother and his indifference. She said that with an exasperated and confused tone: “weird isn’t it? It’s a very strange novel.” So she’s one another one who does not understand Meursault. Or maybe she does understand the themes of the novel. Surely since she is a literature teacher. Not that I’m surprised but I do find it interesting that she recommended I read it. What would be her reaction if I had honestly replied to her that I think his response is perfectly fine. Not that I would truly not care if my mother died but that his words while seemingly indifferent doesn’t mean anything…he can still feel sadness. How are they immoral? I love my mother but what does that have to do with another man’s response why must my love for my mother apply to and dictate how other people respond to their mothers? Anyways long comment just wanted to share

I think the fear of the unknown is the thing that needs to be mastered if someone is feeling this way

Excellent

You, sir, are a genius! One of the things I could not yet understand is, why does he wishes a big crowed that hates him? Does that mean he still has a wish to leave a mark, or would that just be a proof to him that he is in peace with his life - by being unbothered with it?

I haven’t read the novel but your interpretation of it makes me think that’s how the world would seem to someone who doesn’t experience conscience or deep emotions or any emotions at all, they would be left with a strictly academic or rational view, I suppose this highlights how important a role emotions play in the life of humans

If your philosophy cannot deflect the arguments of absurdism with an argument for the nature of humanity and its purpose, I’m not so sure you have a philosophy at all. Camus is brilliantly gifted at forcing people to account for that. You summarized The Stranger brilliantly, my dude.

Bro your mother died sorry to hear that But also I wanted to say that you are doing great job since you reach 10k subs usually I don't comment on your video but could you make a video on reading the other person or something like that just a selfish request hope you get 1mil soon

Hello there, thanks again. you promised on one of your videos comment section to give us one of the book which helped you on your communication skill. You are phenomenally articulate. Please give us an advise or make a video which brings us anywhere near you.

"For all to be accomplished, for me to feel less lonely, all that remained to hope was that on the day of my execution there should be a huge crowd of spectators and that they should greet me with howls of execration." - The Stranger The last line always hits hard ...

Is there a bio available on this young man? SO wise and SO young😎

I can see heavy parallels of someone that has diagnosed psychopathy. How some psychopathic killers, in their confessions, talk about how they felt no different at all after they committed murder. Almost as if they feel no rush or adrenaline at all, just indifference.

What I'd like to know is how he got to this point of indifference? Was he mistreated or neglected as a child?

Your takeaway from absurdism doesn’t have to be complete indifference. At least in my opinion, it’s the complete freedom to choose what to care about. If you choose not to care about anything, then go ahead. The universe doesn’t mind.

Correct me if I'm wrong. If life has no meaning why we don't just end it? Camus stood against this idea. But in the book the stranger the narrator refuses to show any remorse or didn't even try to lie in front of the jury. If he did that he wouldn't have got the death penalty. How is that different from suicide?

I finished it just now. like, an hour ago. WoW!!

Autism and chronic emotional loneliness are both untreatable.

The story to me is meant to convey to people of how un-selfaware they are.

This kind of relates to me