More than 700,000 people choose to commit
suicide every year in the world. That is, nearly 2000 individuals end their
lives every day and suicide is the leading cause of death in the age group of
15 to 29.
10 Sep is the World Suicide Prevention Day.
Let me join fellow bloggers Manali and Sukaina in their endeavour to draw more people’s attention to
the value of life.
One of the most persuasive essays on
why we should not choose death voluntarily in spite of the ordeals and
absurdities of life is The Myth of Sisyphus by Albert Camus. Camus’s
basic premise is that life is absurd. It has no meaning other than what you
give to it. The universe is indifferent to you, if not hostile. The
confrontation between the human need for clarity and the chaotic irrationality
of the world can lead to existential despair.
Suicide is not the answer to that
despair, however. Camus looks for a philosophical answer in his essay. Not many
people find consolation in philosophy. Most people seek and also find such
consolation in religions and gods. Camus was disappointed in divinity which,
according to him, is silent in the face of human calamities. When a little
child was run over by a vehicle in front of Camus, his profound response after the
initial shock was: ‘Look, the heavens are silent.’
The heavens are silent. Indifferent.
Hostile. That’s where Camus’s philosophical quest for meaning in life and
assertion against suicide as an option starts.
Sisyphus from Greek mythology serves
as the apt metaphor in Camus’s philosophical vision. Sisyphus was condemned to
carry a huge boulder uphill as punishment for his transgression against some
divine order. The man took up his punishment as a challenge and went on pushing
the rock uphill day after day knowing fully well that the gods would invariably
push down that rock just before it reached the zenith of the hill. Gods are out
to jettison the human endeavours to conquer sublime heights. It is our duty as
intelligent humans to take up the absurdities of life as a philosophical
challenge against the hostile forces out there. Surrendering by committing
suicide is not only cowardice but also irresponsibility.
Take up your boulder and get on. Ascend
the hill. That ascent is the meaning of life. Accepting the challenges of life
is what the meaning of life is, in simpler words. Live and learn. Create your
own meaning in life.
Sisyphus must have had a wry smile on
his face every time he descended the hill looking at his rock rolling down
mocking his endeavours. That smile is the meaning of life for Sisyphus. His
determination to put his shoulder beneath that rock yet again is what makes him
heroic.
There is a similar figure in Kerala’s
[my state] folklore. Naranath Bhranthan [literally means The Lunatic of
Naranam] is a wise man who pretends to be insane. He too carried a massive
boulder uphill. Not as any punishment, however. He was asserting the absurdity
of life by his own choice. He pushed down the stone from the top of the hill
himself. Gods were not involved in his actions at all.
When a goddess was impressed by
Naranam’s actions, which amounted to some kind of Tapasya, a boon was extended
to the wise man. What he asked for was to shift his elephantiasis from the left
leg to the right one. Naranam is many notches above Sisyphus in highlighting
the absurdity of human life.
What the Lunatic of Naranam tells us
ultimately is that there is a lunatic in each one of us. Embrace that lunacy
with a conscious awareness and then life will become a comedy for you. The
elephantiasis on your leg will be your most faithful friend.
PS. This post is a part of ‘Mindful
Pursuit Blog Hop’ hosted by Manali
Desai and Sukaina Majeed
under #EveryConversationMatters
My association with Manali and Sukaina goes back to a couple of years. Yesterday they surprised me with the following mail. Thank you, dear friends, for this magnanimous gesture. I’m obliged.
If only one could be talked out of suicide. I had my dark days, and it was a combination of things that led me out of it. It's a hard thing when one falls into that despair.
ReplyDeleteI know. I too went through an extremely bad phase in life. I longed for death, had no courage for ending it all... Words don't mean a thing in such times.
DeleteWe all have the experience of being there in depths of despire. Some of us are lucky to come out of it for good. Not everyone is.
ReplyDeleteIt takes a lot of empathy to understand the emotional state of people who are struggling with mental health problems. No one else will be able to understand the enormity and the weight of the burden they are carrying.
Not all solutions will work for everyone, since each individual is different and each problem is different. Some people tell people who are facing difficulties, "See how others are coping. Why don't you also." That doesn't help. It might only make things worse.
Only compassion, empathy, kindness, and a willingness to lend a helping hand will work in such cases.
Those who are going through such challenging phases should reach out to one of the many institutions that have people willing to listen to them and help them. A few which I found online are:
1) iCall (Run by Tata Institute of Social Sciences) - 9152987821 - https://icallhelpline.org/
2) Sneha - +91 44 2464 0050 - https://snehaindia.org/new/
3) Healmind - +91 85899 06099 - https://www.healmind.in/
Thank you so much for the links which could be of help to many... What you say is right: people are different and one man's medicine is another's poison.
DeleteA thoughtful post! If only we have more awareness about suicide prevention
ReplyDeleteThe statistics do make us wish for that.
DeleteThe caption made me think. At first I presumed you were questioning the very act itself. After reading the post I am glad to find the thread of optimism coursing through it. It's important to find your own ikigai. Believing in one's own self. Diligently pursuing what you believe in. I guess that is living. However, for every individual the meaning and purpose are different. From a daily wage earner to a creative person.
ReplyDeleteYes, meaning of life differs from individual to individual. Too many people borrow it from religion and there's a problem in that. Why religions have become cruel is because of this blind borrowing.
DeleteYour post is like a clarion call to all on the brink of despair: to not give up or go on even if it seems impossible.Sometimes , it is all one needs, someone to say , you matter, your life matters.
ReplyDeleteI hope this does sound meaningful to some at least. This is a bit too philosophical, I know. Yet!
DeleteI don't think Gods have any role to play in what we face each day; it's our Prarabdha Karma that's the evil one. Of course, its my view alone. However, I enjoyed reading your post as I always do because there is always something new for me to learn. This time it was the story of Naranath Bhranthan. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteLocal language stories don't reach wide audience unfortunately. Linguistic and cultural hegemony. This is another serious issue.
DeleteThis essay is like a boulder on my shoulder because even though I have the book, I haven't been able to read it. And yet, I continue to encounter it here and there. Wonder what absurdity this is :D My fav line of your blog post was this: Create your own meaning in life. I try to live by this principle.
ReplyDeleteThank you for highlighting this critical issue on World Suicide Prevention Day.
ReplyDeleteThe reflections from Albert Camus's The Myth of Sisyphus and the story of Naranath Bhranthan underscore the profound struggle against life's inherent absurdities.
Embracing life’s challenges, much like Sisyphus and Naranam, rather than succumbing to despair, can provide us with a sense of purpose and resilience.
It’s essential to remember that in our darkest moments, finding meaning and support can be a powerful way to navigate through.
Let’s continue to advocate for mental health and support each other in our shared journey.
Truly life is absurd. I'm glad we had people telling us that and as we grow more grey hair, the truth hits head on. But even then, we need to live our lives and enjoy it. Sinking may not be the answer to enjoy this absurdity. More power to mental wellbeing.
ReplyDeleteThis post starts with a shocking statistics and emphasis on the importance that should be given to mental health issues. It's sad that despite this large number of suicides happening everyday, talking about mental health is still treated as a taboo. It's not addressed so openly like other illness of body.
ReplyDeleteYou've very well said that we shouldn't choose death over the absurdities of life and these absurdities are what make life unique. Finding solace in Philosophy and spirituality is what made me come out of struggling phases of my life.