“The meaning of life is just to be alive. It is so plain and so obvious and so simple. And yet, everybody rushes around in a great panic as if it were necessary to achieve something beyond themselves.” -Alan Watts
What is the purpose of life? This is a question that my audience has surely pondered at some indeterminate point. Whether it be a passing thought upon morning wakening, a demonic-like apparition continuously haunting one's day to day, or a lingering question with which one tries to avoid or resolve, humans are the only known creature who require an explanation for our existence.
With this necessity, we seek meaning in various narratives, practices and ideologies offered via society. Many seek refuge in the midst of religion, finding meaning in service of God(s) or a higher power. Various philosophies offer an assertment as to one how ought to live in order to embue there lives with meaning. Some individuals drown themselves into relentless work, repeating the same actions day after day, while others look for success in interpersonal relationships, attempting to fulfill their lives with the connections of those most dear. What is quite common in virtually every culture are stories, which serve as symbolic explanations as to our nature and help us identify patterns so that life may be enriched. Mythologies, both ancient and modern, depict the hero who ventures into the unknown to defeat the forces of chaos and return an actualized individual with knowledge and abilities which serve the betterment of the community. All of these things serve as an inexaustive list as to the various ways meaning may be acquired.
While a basic human necessity to live a life of purpose, what happens when life offers no dileniation from the monotony of daily existence? Various philosophies have been formulated in response to this very dillema. While several examples may be referenced, of particular interest is that of absurdism; a philosophical notion upheld by Albert Camus, in his classic work The Myth of Sisyphus. In it, Camus references the human need for meaning and how that ought to be reconciled in a fundamentally meaningless universe.
In this essay, I hope to accomplish three tasks. Firstly, I shall examine the philosophy of absurdism, not in an attempt to concur or contradict, but to lay ought the fundamental notions. Secondly, I plan on demonstrating how absurdism has inadvertantly been reflected in modern cultural mythology. Finally, I shall illustrate with each example how said allegory is relevant to the life of humanity and in what way said narrative is symbolic of the absurd.
The Nature of The Absurd
What is the absurd? Well, it is an extension of the common coloqual term: a tension. Pontificating the context for which one calls something "absurd", we see the absurd arises once an expectation is placed, or when society determines the nature of an outcome, and obtains knowledge prior to the contrary. For example, if you were to place your time and effort into your career, slaving within the same workplace for years on end to obtain a supervisor position, then discovered the position was administered to a recently hired patriot, your reaction likely would be to proclaim, verbally or mentally "this is absurd!" or another synonymous term, "ridiculous". Though the misatribution is understandable, it is, in fact, not the situation that is absurd; but the tension between your expectation and the rising reality of the situation. The absurd exists within you, misattributed to the external circumstance.
So how does this function as a philosophy? Well, Camus proposes a quasi-metaphysical position for the absurd, seeing it as an existential tension (though Camus was fervently resistant to being labelled an existentialist). Camus was profoundly aware of our necessity for meaning. We are creatures who require an explanation as to our existence. A "why" is necessary for us to function within the context of "what". However, when we look to the universe for this answer, we receive only silence. This is because the universe provides no inherent meaning. We have no objective reason for why we live life, and thus, have no response to this fundamental question. This tension between our need for meaning and its apparent lack is precisely where the absurd lies.
While the universe itself is what lacks meaning, the absurd does not lie within external reality. Much like the previous example, the absurd is an internal state, arising through the tension of our desire for meaning and its inability to be properly fulfilled. It is a mental state that arises as a result of lucidity, and is contended with within the psyche. It is arising from bed each day, having a morning coffee, going to work, preparing dinner and crawling back into bed, only for the inevitable "why" to arise one day. This why is not a pathological state, but a natural reaction to a meaningless, repetitive routine.
Knowing that the absurd is the predicament of human nature, how might we deal with it? Well, Camus proposes three solutions for the absurd.
Suicide
Note: Do NOT Act Upon This. If You Are Experiencing Suicidal Thoughts, Consult Your Nearest Mental Health Service.
The first, and most extreme option one might take is suicide. The act of suicide is an attempt to escape from the absurd. To submit to it. To admit that life is indeed not worth living. But Camus did not view this as viable, as it is merely a means of avoidance. To commit suicide is to let the absurd win. To not appreciate life for it's experience or its versaitility. A prominent theme of absurdism is that of rebellion, of which we shall soon explore. Suicide subtracts from lifes versatility and demonstrates nothing on how to live in the absurd. One should not act upon this option.
Philosophical Suicide
A less extreme, much more common and easily feesible variant to its severe counterpart, one may deal with the absurd via commitment to an ideology. The details of the ideology are irrelevant. What is relevant is that the ideology is committed to in negating the meaninglessness of the world and embuing the life of the individual with a purpose. However, to fully commit, one must sacrifice their rational inclinations, as thinking about the validity of one's beliefs inevitably reveals the inconsistencies and absurdity of said beliefs. These systems are not designed for rational disposition, but are instead a means of managing one's sense of control and place in life.
Much like suicide, this solution is merely another form of avoidance. In never contemplating one's ideology, one never relies on their intellectual reason, and thus, never lives completely ((hence: philosophical suicide). Though more benign than suicide proper, this solution should also be avoided.
Acceptance
The final solution is not a utilization of avoidance, but rather suggests that one attack the problem head on. While we need to feel our lives have meaning life will not respond to this necessity. What should one do about this? One should rebel against the absurd by living in it. While suicide does not resolve the problem, ideology and nihilism merely avoid the true nature of this dilemma. If our existence is to be absurd, live absurdly. No, life shall not present you with a purpose, but what it shall present with is poker with friends, the sun on your face and a nice book by the fireplace with a glass of wine. Perhaps that is enough. Rather than succumb to the need for a narrative, live within the worlds "ever-inconceivable fragmentations." When one lets go of the overall narrative, the daily aspects of our existence present themselves plainly and may be enjoyed in their own right. To quote Alan Watts "a man who does nothing but think has nothing to think about but thoughts, disconnecting him from reality and causing him to live in a world of illusion."
To illustrate this idea, Camus presents us with the myth of Sisyphus, a man who was condemned to eternal futility by rolling a boulder up a hill, only for it to roll back down again. For Camus, Sisyphus is the quintessential absurd hero. Though he is condemned to eternal futility, he shall always be stronger than the Gods, for he has accepted the nature of his fate. Unresisting, he continues to push the boulder uphill, recognizing this futility will never arrive at a conclusion. Hypothetically, should Sisyphus accept this punishment, he has no hope for the future, and thus, cannot be disappointed further. What he does have is acceptance of his fate, and in so doing, encounters meaning in the act itself. Though it may be meaningless, Sisyphus seeing joy in the very act of pushing; in the sheer inevitability of returning downhill allows him to defy his fate and live well. In his prison, he becomes free to view his punishment on his terms, defying the Gods and living well in his predicament. As Camus states, "one must imagine Sisyphus happy."
This story is the perfect metaphor for the human condition. We continue with the same, ever-repeating, daily cycles. The same daily routine again and again. The same search for happiness and meaning, but obstacles inevitably interfere with our progress. Problems eternally arise, regardless of how often we solve them, like the heads of a hydra, eternally regrowing. There is no cure for this predicament; nothing to free us from this lifelong cycle; nothing to redeem us from our marry-go-round of problems and resolution. But perhaps, we can rejoice in the cycle itself. Life is worth living, not because of a search for a cure from our predicament, but because life itself is present. It is what we are living. Live within the cycle and find solice in the nature of it. Accept problems as they arise and rejoice at their resolution. In acceptance of your fate, you become stronger than it, and can defy its insignificant nature. Live not to find purpose, but to merely live. In so doing, you paradoxically shall find your reason, just as Sisyphus found his in his eternal task. Live your experiences to the fullest, and do not permit circumstance to wear you down. Just as Sisyphus is, be happy.
Super Mario: An Absurd Series
The titular Super Mario is a classic series that holds fond memories found in infancy of many people the world over. The series is an enjoyable experience for children, presenting with engaging levels, iconic enemies and a classic plotline. What my readers likely already knew, but perhaps never contimplated, is how absurd Mario actually is. Not to frame Mario as poor, for the series is quite entertaining and constructed with quality. No, I am to say that Mario is a modern Sisyphus; one who accepts his fate and chooses to live regardless. Let us examine further.
Mario, and his more timid but perhaps more heroic brother Luigi, are two Italian siblings living in the quasi-surreal world known as the mushroom kingdom, ruled by the benevolent, albeit slightly irritating princess Peach. Mario, involuntarily but inevitably was deemed the hero of this world, for a glooming threat constantly exists outside of the confines of the kingdom, the Koopa king Bowser, who constantly kidnaps the princess, seeking dominion over the mushroom kingdom. Mario, the absurd hero, always responds with courage and commitment, journeying across eight worlds full of obstacles and danger, to save princess Peach and to restore order to the kingdoms. Luigi invariably rises to the challenge as well, who, while perhaps possessing a more timid temperament, has saved not only Peach, but Mario himself on various occasions. While the two may both be designated absurd heroes, I shall place the majority of my attention on Mario, as he reflects the Sisyphean myth in a manner that is more dynamic and obvious, though we shall explore Luigi's machinations as well.
Each story is the same. Bowser, sometimes with the help of his son, Bowser Junior, or his minions, the Koopalings, kidnaps Peach and disrupts order to the kingdoms. Mario responds to his duty as the absurd hero and begins the journey to rescue Peach. Along the path, Mario constantly risks death; navigating through a path of constant danger, with pits, traps and dangerous scenarios ever-present. Soldiers of Bowser's army, themselves presenting an absurd nature, attempt to inhibit Mario's progress. Constantly attempting to kill him are evil mushrooms with faces, anthropomorphic turtles and monstrous plants, just to name a few. Each of these enemies reflects an absurd theme. The player has surely seen mushrooms, turtles and plants present in the real world, but the developers of the game have manipulated these constructs into an obviously distinct theme, creating a tension between the real schematic of the object and the model presented in game. Unbeknownst to the player, this creates a reaction of absurdity; both in the presentation of the enemies and in Mario's predicament. Bowser, his son and his koopalings further reflect this concept. They present with a draconic complexion, with spike laced turtle shells and a seemingly incapacity to permanently die. The koopas are a conglomeration of things present in life, presented in an otherworldly manner (a central characteristic also found in mythological monsters), who, much like the problems in life, can never truly be defeated.
In the face of this absurd enemy, Mario does not complain. He does not refuse his path, nor does he present the "why" question. As is characteristic of many Mario games, his journey begins with the ever slow approaching goomba, the first enemy seeking to cause his demise. But why does Mario continue on this monotonous task? Why doesn't he present with grievance and desist in this eternally re-occurring dilemma? Why not simply stand in place and allow the first goomba to end his existence? Because he knows his duty. Mario is not only alive, but the only one (apart from Luigi) who can restore order to the mushroom kingdom. He does not need a transcendental reason to save princess Peach. The fact that it is his situation in life is reason enough. It does not matter if saving Peach is inevitably futile. A failure to do so will disrupt the lives of all in the mushroom kingdom, and Mario knows this. His attachment to Peach is already a sufficient motive; and so, Mario begins again; squishing the first goomba and venturing forth on his path, with absurd mushrooms, flowers and other aids to assist in his resolve and his perserverence. And after facing his nemesis and perservering, Mario rejoices in the safety of his princess, with the kingdoms safety being suficient to broaden his smile. It is not narrative that allows him to perservere, it is experience. The experience of the moment; of lifes demands. And so, no matter how many times Peach may be captured, Mario will rise to the occasion and defeat Bowser once again. One must imagine Mario happy.
Of particular note on our examination, a particular vehicle of Bowsers will assist in transitioning to our next topic. Bowser possesses a vehicle that aids in his navigation of the kingdom and assists in the final battle against Mario, that being the koopa clown car. Bowser Junior also possesses a minature version of this vehicle, the junior clown car. These vehicles allow the koopa's to monitor Mario's actions and possess various absurd abilities that limit Mario's progress throughout his journey. The cars are inebriated with a clowns smiling; an exaggerated face, ever presently watching Mario's actions. And inevitably, sooner or later, Mario will have to face this clownish expression, looking directly into the face of the absurd and choosing to defy it, rather than submit. As the battle continues, the clowns expression changes to that of anger in response to Mario's defiance, and finishing with sadness at it's defeat.
The koopa clown car reflects the mental state of its driver, first demonstrating humor at Mario's attempt, then rapidly reflecting Bowser's frustration. Clowns represent the absurd beautifully, their exaggerated expressions demonstrating our internal states and serving as a symbol to our emotional lives. Indeed, many comedic materials, such as clowns or comedy masks directly represent various predicaments suffered by many people, such as the alternating extremes of mood seen in bipolar disorder. But why do they reflect the absurd so well? Let us examine further.
Humor and The Absurd
Humor, and the study of it, are both absurd phenomena in their own right. Though many theories exist, and though it is a universal experience, we still do not know exactly what humor is or why we feel mirth. Be that as it may, a near-universal concordance exists on this subject: humor is a response to incongruety. Much like the absurd, feeling mirth and responding with laughter lies in the tension between incongruent and paradoxical outcomes. When one expects a certain outcome, one typically responds with "telic" (goal-oreinted) neuropsychological sub-systems who place the individual in the subprogram of predicting an outcome. However, if the outcome surprises us in an incongrues, yet non-threatening manner, we respond with mirth and interpret it as humorous.
Note the state of tension present in this realization. Humor, in essence, is the tension of what we had expected versus what had actually occured. Many times, the nature of the humor in itself creates an absurd tension. Consider this example: Two cannibals were eating a clown. One looked at the other and asked "does this taste funny to you?" The double meaning induces a surprising context that is incongrues, yet relevant, to the situation. In this lack of expectation, we are humored and laugh at this paradoxical outcome presented. Humor, at its most fundamental, is absurd.
Just as humor is absurd, why should we not respond to the absurd with humor? Humor, as demonstrated, it a cognitive-perceptual process which interprets unthreatening, incongrues stimuli in a mirthful manner, leading to a induction of humor. Laughter, then, is the verbal response to the emotion of mirth. While laughter is the appropriate response, who's to say it is not a suitable response to the absurd? Humor in itself is already an encounter with the absurd; therefore, laughing in the face of existential reality is a logical extension. Furthermore, laughter also serves to resolve negative tension. Many people laugh in the face of death, often in response to its arrival upon living a good life. Therefore, laughing at the apperant tension between the need for meaning, and its objective lack, further reflect this tension. Metaphorically, it is simple to interpret the absurd as a grand, cosmological joke. Though substantial, it is not I who originally formulated this idea. Rather, this idea has been presented repeatedly through popular culture and modern mythological narrative. The following demonstrates two characters who reflect the absurd through humor, albeit in different, expressive manners.
The Joker
“Madness is the emergency exit. You can just step outside, and close the door on all those dreadful things that happened. You can lock them away…forever."
-The Joker
At this point in time, their are few characters within modern culture more popular than the Joker. In my opinion, Batman possesses some of the best developed characters within the context of modern mythology. Batman, a figure of tragedy, tries to uphold human life due to the trauma of losing lives that were most precious to him; his parents. In a Kantean upholding of ethics, Batman faces several villains who are the paragons of opposing values to Bruce Wayne's set of morality. For example, we have Penguin, a capitalistic auristocrat who reflects human greed; Scarecrow, the fundamental fear in our hero's deeply held trauma; Riddler, who represents lifes unresolved questions; and Joker, who reflects the smiling, meaningless absurdity behind all of it; the comedic, nihilistic yang to Batmans rigid, absolutist yin, Joker, though demonstrated in a pervertedly comedic fashion, perhaps represents the ultimate absurdist.
The iterations of Joker have varied over the course of his history. Originally depicted in the 40's as a maniacal, homicidal jester, the Joker immediately represented the antithesis of Batman's serious, moral standard. Rapidly, the Joker began to degress to a simple, mischevious prankster who caused disruption merely for the laughs, persisting in this incarnation until his gradual disappearence in the 60's. As the 70's turned around, the Joker began to reappear in his traditional guise of the killer clown, who murdered others in a perverted demonstration of humor, usually transmitting the message of the "comedic" meaninglessness of life.
Just as his incarnations, the origin stories of the Joker are even more variant. The character, in reflecting his love and embracement of chaos, demonstrates no clear origin. It is not even known if he himself remembers the nature of his transition. Joker himself has stated that if he is to have a back story, he prefers it to be "multiple choice."
While several backstories have been proposed, one thing consistent to virtually all of them is the presence of comedy's opposite; tragedy. The Joker usually presents as a man who pursuid his dreams in hopes to support his wife and soon-to-be-born child, who loses them to tragedy and his own sanity as a consequence. The edition "The Killing Joke" depicts the joker as a struggling comedian who plans to rob a factory to support his pregnant wife. After she dies in an aggravated assault, he is forced to continue the heist via the other gang members, who are thwarted by Batman after their arrival. The Joker himself falls into a vat of chemicals while trying to escape, the chemicals themselves bleaching his skin, reddening his lips and creating the clown appearance. Allegorically, the Joker fell from the illusion of a meaningful life, with everything he once loved falling into the abyss of nihilism, disfiguring his previous model of the world and leaving nothing but cold, hard reality in front of him. Seeing reality for what it is, his sanity was left broken, leaving him a clownish husk free from the narratives of the world. Many say that the joker is in fact not insane, but super-sane, for he sees reality for what it truly is; "one bad joke." In fact, what the Joker has entered is not the just the face of reality, but the absurd. These things which were of previous importance; a wife, a child, a career, were all removed from the Jokers life through the course of "one bad day", as though the universe itself were a laughing, court jester who delighted at the Jokers misery. In losing these relationships, the Joker rapidly sees that what is of importance to us is of utter insignificance within the cosmos. From here, the Joker succumbs to madness and accepts the absurd for what it is. He is a man who has bonr direct witness to the epitome of human suffering and the utter absurdity of our existence. And rather than run from it, he choose to be a paroty of it. A joke. To present the said clown paradox: "Man goes to doctor. Says he's depressed. Life seems harsh and cruel. Says he feels all alone in threatening world. Doctor says 'treatment is simple. The great Poliachy the clown is in town. Go see him. That should pick you up.' Man bursts into tears. 'But doctor,' he says, 'I am Poliachy.'"
In this event, the Joker underwent his final transformation, as a comedic parody of the tragedy of existence. Different to other villains who pursue power, status or financial benefit, the Joker seems motivated only by the prospect of sending a message. All his comedic jests are to demonstrate that one bad day is enough to bring even the most sane person to the depths of insanity. As he states in the dark knight, "It's not about money, it's about sending a message. Everything burns."
In the face of such absurdity, the Joker has transitioned to a villainous, albeit quintessential absurdist. The Joker recognizes the importance of meaning; that it is fundamental to the human condition. However, through tragic circumstance, he has come face-to-face with the meaninglessness of life. That tragedy can befall anyone, and that the universe will not blink at our cries for it to mean something. Just as with comedy, the Joker sees the incongruety between our need for meaning and a cold, meaningless universe, identifying our existence as a cosmological gag. Just as with Sisyphus, the Joker has chosen to rebel against the absurd, looking at the utter ridiculousness of our inresolvable conflict and laughing in the face of it. In his realization, he treats life as a metaphysical and ethical comedy, spreading the tragedy of our existence and presenting tragedy as a comedic message. Thus, he represents the thin line between comedy and tragedy, joining the two opposites at the hip and choosing "humor" in the face of the absurd.
For the Batman fan, this should explain why this central rivalry is so obvious. Batman, while being a victim of tragedy as well, has chosen to respond in the polar opposite manner. An orphan who lost his parents to a violant scuffle, Batman opposed the absurd by enforcing Kantean ethics in the universal preservation of life. For him, all life is precious and is to be maintained, rather than further contributing to the suffering of the world. Striving for vigilante justice, he lives in the shadows; ironically dark and schizoid, yet an ethical yin to the jokers maniacal, histrionic and colorful yang. In the desire to demonstrate the absurd, Joker places the majority of his attention on Batman, who, upholding an unwavering value system, is the perfect candidate for the Joker's games. Indeed, the Joker has contributed many tragedies to Batman and those most dear to him. Nonetheless, Batman unrelentingly upholds his sense of ethics, living as an absolute upholder of morality in the face of the absurd. His very existence provides an antithesis to the Joker's message of "one bad day", which is why the Joker is so adament to the corruption of Batman. Further, the Joker simply enjoys playing with Batman attacking the foundations of Batman's ethics, viewing them as merely a "bad joke". These characters, though opposite in their manifestation, are joined at the hip, being non-dualistic, but merely two sides of the same coin. Batman, being an absurd hero (or rather, anti-hero) will always look into the maniacal, laughing face of the absurd, and refuse to bend to the tragedies of life. He uses his freedom for the good of others, and decides to contribute to lifes value despite its lack of meaning. For Batman, the act of living is his principle of sufficient reason, and as such, he remains unrelenting in the face of the absurd. The Joker, in his absurdity, defines himself by his relationship to Batman and utilizes his freedom in comedic support of meaninglessness. While demonstrating this comedic-tragic analogy, Batman remains unaffected, as he already has contact with the absurd. The message does not corrupt him, as he has accepted the absurd and decided to utilize his freedom for the good of others. While no objective meaning exists, Batman has decided that living is enough. In this defiance, he is uncorruptable in the face of the laughing absurd.
The Mockers and Senior Assessor
- "The One God strode out - a puppet trailing severed strings - from the conflagration. Another city destroyed, another people cut down in their tens of thousands. Who among us, witnessing his emergence, could not but conclude that madness had taken him? For all the power of creation he possessed, he delivered naught but death and destruction. Stealer of Life, Slayer and Reaper, in his eyes where moments earlier there had been the blaze of unreasoning rage, now there was calm. He knew nothing. He could not resolve the blood on his own hands. He begged us for answers, but we could say nothing. We could weep. We could laugh. We chose laughter."
- ―Creed of the Mockers
While exploration of this world in and of itself could be an acedemic discipline, we shall turn our attention to a religious sect and a character within said sect who reflect the nature of the absurd. In particular, we shall examine the Mockers, one sect of over 3000 distinct interpritations all dedicated to "The One God", obviously implying a monotheistic conception. What is interesting about this group is, while religion is thought by Camus as a form of philosophical suicide, the Mockers unwittingly worship the absurd itself. In the actual world, theologans and philosophers have proposed various responses to the problem of evil, which is typically presented accordingly:
If God is omnipotent, omniscient and omnibenevolent, then evil would not exist.
But evil does exist.
Therefore, God is not omnipotent, omniscient, omnibenevolent, or a combination thereof.
Though this creed is not presented in Malazan, the Mockers present a unique response to the problem of evil, believing that God is not evil, but insane. The very theology of the Mockers reflects a restoration of balance, in that they believe all must be healed and united in the face of The One God. As such, they strive for a clarity of thought, reflection of morality, humility and a respect for all life, which they believe will heal God and restore balance to the world.
In reflection of this theme, we turn to a member of this group. All names are discarded at birth within this religion, and members are referred to merely by their rank, identifying this character as "Senior Assessor" who was said to be an "assessor of all things."
Senior Assessor was a small man with a round face constantly portraying an unchanging, flat affect. Ironically, his face has been painted with several vibrant colors in a manner that presents an exaggerated mirthful expression. This symbol was said to reflect the nature of God, allowing Mockers to convey the true nature of reality. Though seemingly never changing his affective expression, his brown eyes possessed a "twinkle" that suggested he was constantly on the verge of hysterical laughter. Despite this, he was forbidden from laughing by his sect, as it was believed that laughter was an invitation to the madness of God. As such, Senior Assessor goes through great lengths in the book to suppress his barely containable mirth. Senior Assessor finally dies by being crushed underneath a collapsing stone temple. In the brief moment before his death, he finally loses control and erupts into hysterical laughter.
While a minor character within the book, Senior Assessor and the Mockers sect reflect the absurd in an allegorically indubious way. Though they adore The One God, this deity clearly reflects the chaotic nature of the universe in that he is a God without rhyme or reason. This devotion is merely an attempt to accept this insane nature of reality and restore order in a seemingly random universe. The exaggerated face paint represents the absurdity of life, showing how it's "insanity" is "comedic" in nature, and the forbidden laughter, while nonsensical, is indicative of trying to stay sane in a seemingly absurd world. While Senior Assessor maintained his diligance within his faith, he saw the absurdity of existence face-to-face when his lifetime faith did nothing to save him from a crumbling wall. In this, he finally allowed himself to laugh, just as the Joker allows himself to laugh at this seemingly unresolvable tension.
Both of these characters, while being fictitious, play on an archetypal theme; the clown. While Senior Assessor was much more reserved, his ironic self-repression was an absurd contrast to his seemingly clownish appearance. The clown itself, a real performer, further reflects this irony within our world by their own archetypal nature. In the next section, I shall examine how.
Clowns: A Caricature of The Absurd
Clowns, though coming in many forms, are fundamentally absurd by their very nature. The purpose of a clown is the conveying of comedy via silly, foolish and ridiculous methods. Though meant to convey comedy, its seemingly uncanny valley appearance creates a strong sense of fear in many.While 53% of people report some dislike of clowns, 5% are debilitated by their fear; an anxiety disorder which has been dubbed caulrophobia, requiring treatment when crippling.
The entire intention of the clown is the conveyance of the absurd. Various subforms of the clown exist, such as the whitefaced and grotesque clown (one of these two are likely what you imagine when thinking of clowns), augusten clowns, mimes, jesters and bafoons. What is common among all of them is the demonstration of common lifestyle themes in a comedic fashion demonstrated in an absurd manner. Clowns will prank others, laugh at the expense of other clowns or audience members and convey various emotional themes. Many clowns, such as jesters, had traditionally commented on the absurd state of society and represented comedic wisdom and transition of a previous order to a new system through chaos and liberty. Some clowns, especially bafoons, actually specialize at joking at anothers expense, serving as an absurd gatfly to one's ego and demonstrating that one should not take oneself so seriously.
The physical nature of clowns is further meant to demonstrate this absurdity. Their oversized clothes, elongated shoes, frizzy hair and exaggerated facial expressions create an unexpected, uncanny vibe in their presence. The expression of the clown tends to reflect the nature of the devised persona. While clowns are usually depicted with an exaggerated smiling expression, clowns can also be depicted as frowning, laughing, crying, surprised or angry. Their comedic jests typically reflect the expression conveyed. While most clowns are happy-go-lucky, foolish and mirthful, others are melancholic, depressed and constant victems of misfortune.
The nature of the clown is to reflect back to us our absurdity. Clowns, demonstrating our moods and affects in an exaggerated, absurd manner, use their acts for entertainment and laughter. They demonstrate to the audience the absurdity of our day-to-day and allow us to laugh at a result of their (and our) dumfoolery. Clowns function similar to a funhouse mirror, reflecting back to us a reflection which induces surprise, but produces a reaction of mirth. Indeed, comedy is often what invokes change within the human mind. It was only the jester who could communicate to the king without fear of retaliation. It was also him who showed the peasent class the absurdity of their predicament. Clowns function as agents of chaos, using the absurd to demonstrate our state of being and to induce change.
While clowns are comedic figures, they often result from its intertwined opposite; tragedy. This has been dubbed "the sad clown paradox." Clowning often functions as a contrasting outlit for deep suffering experienced on the part of the performer, allowing for aggressive tendencies to be channeled in a socially appropriate manner, and permitting the clown to convey the absurdity of their predicament. Joseph Grimaldi was the founder of the modern clown; a man who dedicated his life to bringing humor and joy to the lives of others. While being a heavily comedic figure, Grimaldi's life was heavily marked by tragedy. He was abused by a tyrannical father, his first wife died in childbirth, he suffered from depressive episodes and his son, another clown, drank himself to death by age 31. Grimaldi died in 1831, an alcoholic and penniless.
Another example of an absurd clown performer was none other than John Wayen Gacey, a serial killer and rapist who murdered 33 young men and boys, burying their bodies in the crawlspace of his home. A self-reported lover of clowns, Gacey often performed shows for the nieghbours children, birthday parties and hospital gags. He described clowning as a form of relaxation, stating "you regressed into childhood... and you could be goofy if you wanted to." When under suspicion of his crimes, he infamously stated "you know, clowns can get away with murder."
In these manners, clowns are iconography for the absurd. Their exaggerated facial expressions reflects our affects, their disproportionate clothing an informal critique on fashion and their acts and plays demonstrating the absurdity of our lives, problems and societal factors. While conveying comedy, they often stem from tragedy and a high proclivity for a cyclothymic temperament. They reveal meaninglessness, absurdity and tragedy in a bafoonish manner and further reflect the uncanny nature of the absurd in their horror-inducing imagery. They remind us that life is a theater and that at the end of the day, we are the clowns in our own narrative.
To demonstrate the above theme, lets examine a relevant story.
Alagadda
Where aphotic seas do deny,
Reflections of a xanthous sky,
And black stars reign without ascent,
Echoes of what was never meant.
A city built in unknown times,
Upon the bones of countless crimes,
Stranger yet is found within
The chaos court of strife and sin.
The mad dance here without control,
As all must play their given role,
For those beyond out moral ken,
We die and live and die again.
Our Lord, he writhes atop his throne,
Before his glory, we atone,
Our blood, a gift, fit for the King,
For a noose 'round our neck, a puppet's string.
-Ickis The Wayward, Wandsman of Kul-Manas
The city of Alagadda is a reference to SCP-2264-B. For those unfamiliar, the SCP foundation is a collaberative writing project depicting a secretive organization designed for capturing, studying, containing and maintaining the secrecy of creatures, locations and events that defy natural law, or are anomalous in nature. In this case, SCP-2264 is a doorway contained in the tower of London which may only be opened via alchemical means, designated SCP-2264-A. Upon entering, individuals will find themselves in a cityscape, a pandimentional nexus designated Alagadda, which, in my opinion, is the perfect metaphor for the absurd in fiction.
When one enters the city, the clothing of the person will be switched to porcaline reminiscent of ballroom masquerades, with said mask being placed on the face of the travellar. While the clothes may be discarded if one so chooses, the mask at no time may be removed from the subjects face.
The city possesses a hypnagogic malaise in its subjective quality, feeling as if one has entered a dream. Time and space do not function as they do in our world, further being reminiscent of the sequential deluge found in the subjective experience of dreaming. One may be travelling on the city streets or in a building of Alagadda and suddenly find themselves where they were or in a completely new location. Geometry is non-euclidian in nature and individuals are capable of navigating the surrealist infastructure as though it was always proportionate to their center of gravity. Those with a history of lucid dreaming have far superior navigational abilities compared to their normal dreaming counterparts.
The city is centered on an island, surrounded by a black, viscous ocean, and is said to border the "nevermeant." The sky possesses a yellow hue and is filled with inumerable black stars, incongruent with any constellations known. The color scheme of Alagadda is peculiar, with only the colors white, black, yellow and red being visible in the totality of the city. It is said to have an aroma reminiscent of "dried flowers with a hint of mold."
Citizens of Alaggada, designated SCP-2264-1, also possess the masquerade ball aesthetic. Their skin, much like the clothes, is said to be "chitinous" in texture. While possessing an indeterminate form, they were said to transition in-and-out of humanoid appearance, further examplifying the dreamlike quality. The natives, in addition to the spectacle of the city-proper, create a risk of psychological addiction to Alagadda. While natives of parallel worlds seem to visit Alagadda, the inhabitants of Alagadda proper seem lecherous and promiscuous with all foreign travellars. Expiditions into Alagadda have left many an agent succumbing to the decadent pleasures of the city. One agent described a native as having "curves in all the right places, making it easy to ignore the tentacles."
It is suspect that natives of Alagadda further present with various forms for travellars of other worlds, only appearing human for those of human biology. Language is further reflected to match visitors of Alagadda. While most agents interpreted the natives as speaking English, agent Calixto Narvaez heard them speaking in his native tongue of Spanish. Written language is also translated for spectators, though with greater difficulty, as it seems some concepts in Alagadda have no translation in any human language. Agent Narvaez further states behind the mask of the natives, he sensed that they possessed an incomprehensible nature.
While most visitors succumb to the dreamlike-decadence of the city, agent Narvaez discovered invaluable information from the Wandsman of Kul-Manas, a crow-like entity who was a self-identified scholar who conducted research via travelling between worlds and who was not native to Alagadda. While several references to the overall SCP cosmology took place in these conversations, the Wandsman explained the hierarchical nature of Alagadda.
Alagadda is an autocracy, ruled by an entity known as "the hanged King." Many of those visiting Alagadda are their precisely to seek a boon from the King. Seen from a distance were the four masked lords, advisors to the King and some of the most dangerous reality-benders discovered by the foundation. The four lords, who oversaw Alagadda, were identified as "the white lord, wearer of the diligant mask; the yellow lord, wearer of the odious mask; the red lord, wearer of the mirthful mask and the black lord, wearer of the anguished mask." While ocassionally seen, the lords were never approached, lest the agents draw unwanted attention to our reality. The Wandsman warned Agent Narvaez not to be fooled by the designations, as each lord was as powerful and terrible as the other. While four were referenced, the black lord was never seen, as he was apparently exiled to a "pandimentional backwater" as a result of a "political disagreement", and that it would only be a matter of time before he returned.
While exercising words of caution about the four-masked lords, the Wandsman further referenced a final entity, The Ambassador of Alagadda, the embodiment of the hanged King's will and to whom even the masked lords "bowed their marionette heads." The Wandsman further states that the Ambassador was absent in Adytum and that he would not remain in Alagadda at the Ambassador's return. When agent Narvaez re-entered the city, the Wandsman announced that the Ambassador had returned. He fell through on his promise of leaving Alagadda and suggested the others do the same.
Later, the foundation sent a Mobile Task Force (MTF) into Alagadda to identify the Ambassador, the hanged King and their threat level. Twelve were administered, one returned gravely injured. He recounts that they had entered the palace, descending the staircase until they inadvertantly found themselves outside, looking in the direction of the palace. The city was described as desolate, having lost its color and its integrity. The streets were empty, with nobody visible and with the buildings seemingly long since abandoned. Standing in front of the MTF was the Ambassador, an entity described as androgynous, with no face and black latex that was actually part of its anatomy. Though its speech was incomprehensible, "every world dripped with narcissistic venom." The entity radiated arrogance, brought a hand to wear its mouth should be, and laughed as it used its powers to force the team to destroy themselves. Each member danced and mutilated themselves to death for the Ambassadors entertainment, before he dragged the final researcher to the throneroom of the palace. Their, the researcher met the King, a shrouded, gigantic entity bound to a great throne, writhing under its restraints. Tendrils periodically emerged from its robes before returning to whatever laid beneath. Several horrid imps crawled across the mass of the King, caressing his figure while others tightened the existing bounds. A great shroud covered the face of the King, whom the Ambassador faced the researcher towards. Several imps lifted the shroud to reveal the face of the King. When pressed for a description, this quote was provided:
A god shaped hole. The barren desolation of a fallen and failed creation. You see the light of long dead stars. Your existence is nothing but an echo of a dying god's screams. The unseen converges. Surrounds you. And it tightens like a noose.
Let us analyze this piece. How does Alagadda relate to the absurd? Perfectly. Alagadda presents with a dreamlike quality to those who enter it, reflecting the "dream" of life. The fact is, we live inside of a model. What we call the world is not our objective reality, but a model synthesized by our brain. The central difference between waking life and dreams is that dreams are internal stimuli presented in the form of an emotional narrative. They reflect the internal world rather than the external. Despite this, the model of the external world is still manufactured and produced internally. Metaphorically, this could be classified as a dream. Furthermore, dreams are not real in the sense that objective reality is, thereby rendering them a metaphor for something false or non-existant. Society provides the narrative on our place in the world; on what will produce meaning in our lives and how to function within that paradigm. Society "dreams" our meaning which is in strike contrast to the meaninglessness of the absurd.
The masks one is forced to adorn reflect the persona. There is nothing inherintly wrong with the persona. It is a necessary psychological mechanism for maintaining fluidity and functioning in a variety of situations. The problem is when one identifies only with the persona, seeing themselves as nothing more than this. Society forces us to adorn our persona; to be the food server, store clerk or company representative and fails to see us as anything more. In this way, we are forced to adopt a mask that cannot be removed at any point. Indeed, the etymology of the word persona stems from the Greek, precisely meaning mask. We are forced to adorn our masks with no consideration of our authenticity and to proceed ever further into the dream.
The yellow sky with black stars is indicitive of the unnatural world we are forced to enter. The black sea around Alagadda represents societal shadow, with all that is authentic pushed to the side. It further represents the bountless ocean of meaninglessness that surrounds our dreamlike society, awaiting all those who choose to venture outward. While we do not know the reference within the story, the nevermeant is an allegorical reference to how this state was never meant to be. It is a statement of our living within a falsity and failure to see reality as it is.
The natives of Alagadda represent philosophical suicide. They are the endless distractions that one may use for avoidance of the absurd. Dating apps, netflix, religion, tiktok, alcohol, whatever means a person might choose so as to avoid the constraints of the present moment. The incomprehensible, ever-changing form shows the illusory nature of philosophical suicide and how it lacks any real substance, simply filtering our perception to be attractive in the moment.
The four masked lords represent the falsity of society. Society interpretes what is believed; what is accepted; what is swallowed and digested in the ever shifting dream of belief. They also represent the overidentification with falsity in our leaders. If SCP-035 as the black lord is accepted as canon, than it is implied that the four lords do not simply wear a mask, but indeed are the masks themselves. The identity of each lord is found within the mask, the masks themselves distinguishing the lords from one another, along with their colors. Allegorically, this represents the talking heads of our society, looking to leaders and ideologies that are mere persona. President, priest, politician, all of it reflects the masquerade of our society. Those in power are identified merely via position and thus are only their mask. The individual has no basis apart from the overseeing and contribution to the system. The masked lords further represent our internal reactions to societal narrative. One may respond with diligance, hate, mirth or anguish in the face of the absurd; however, the absurdist knows that these states are not mere identity. We continue to possess our substance and dimensionality, knowing these states are natural responses to the absurdity of existence. The masked lords of our society, in contrast, do not have a substance behind their mask. They are the masks themselves, forever confined to the assigned role established by society. The system has made shepards out of the meer sheep.
The Ambassador of Alagadda represents the nihilist. Having no face, he has lost his identity. His self no longer has a form behind the mask, being merely a blank canvas showing nothing. He stands tall and proud in this nihilism, thinking he has seen the truth of the universe. However, in contrast to meaninglessness, he treats the identity of others as if it were meaningful to have one, and so forces others to adorn masks and hide their identity. Because he himself lacks one, his jealousy forces others to hide theirs, for any individuation would result in narcissistic injury.
Finally, the Ambassador worships the hanged King, the very personification of insignificance and broken narrative. He is reality, naked and unapologetic, whom the Ambassador dedicates himself to. Despite this, he binds the King, enforcing the message of meaninglessness as a very means of avoiding it. He binds insignificance onto a throne, yet prevents it from moving outside of his narrative. Instead of looking at meaninglessness in the face, he shrouds it under the veil of nihilism, only lifting this veil to show others but never to gaze at it himself. Attempting to usurp the King's influence, they send the message of nihilism rather than allowing others to navigate the terrain for themselves. Because they cannot have an identity in life, they allow no one to live theirs.
We, the navigators of Alagadda, may be forced to adorn a mask. But different to the others, we have our underlying identity. We live in a society artificially constructed for the means of preserving itself, which constantly dictates the ways by which meaning may be acquired. However, in rule of all is the utter meaninglessness of life, from which the tension of the absurd is created. Some overidentify with the mask, some embrace society fully, some enter the opposite direction and hide within nihilism. But the absurd individual does not need a solution. We accept the dream for what it is, and rebel by living in it. The King may be lack of meaning, but who stated life needed it? We see reality for what it is, but may continue living in experience. After all, as Camus states “The only way to deal with an unfree world is to become so absolutely free that your very existence is an act of rebellion.”
