Albert Camus, the French philosopher, writer, and major figure in absurdism, believed that life doesn’t come with any built-in meaning. In The Myth of Sisyphus, he says that people’s need for clarity and order in a messy world is “the most obvious truth” (Camus, Myth 5). But instead of giving up in the face of life’s absurdity, Camus believed we should live with awareness, create our own purpose, and use our freedom to do something meaningful. If he were alive today, Camus would probably be seriously concerned about the effects of social media, especially on younger people. What looks like just a fun way to connect has actually turned into a nonstop escape from reality. From Camus’ perspective, social media addiction wouldn’t just be a bad habit—it would be a major social epidemic that pulls people away from living real, authentic lives. 

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            Camus’ ideas were shaped by living through some of the worst times in history, like World War II and the rise of fascism. In The Plague, he writes about how the people of Oran ignored the warning signs of disaster, believing they were free when in reality, “no one will ever be free so long as there are pestilences” (Camus, Plague 37). Today, people often do the same thing by losing themselves in apps like Instagram, TikTok, or X instead of facing tough emotions like loneliness or boredom. A study by Pew Research Center found that almost half of U.S. teens say they are online “almost constantly” (“Teens, Social Media and Technology 2022”). Camus would probably see this endless scrolling as another way of running from the true joy of life. Instead of dealing with the real world and its challenges, people hide behind their screens in a pretend world where nothing is truly genuine or loving. 

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            One of Camus’ biggest beliefs was about taking responsibility for your own life. In A Happy Death, he says, “Life is the sum of all your choices” (Camus, Happy 74). Every little decision adds up to create the life you end up living. Every decision, no matter how small, contributes to the overall direction of our lives. Constantly choosing to check social media instead of being present, engaging in real conversations, or simply observing the world around us, creates a life defined by distraction. Camus would likely see this not only as irresponsible but tragic. While he did not reject pleasure or entertainment, he opposed passive living because living passively means that the moments you take in and experience aren’t as meaningful or purposeful as they could be. Camus didn’t believe life had an inherent purpose, but the people who are alive did, and passively living and wasting away your life is something he would not stand for. Apps today encourage passive behavior like just scrolling, liking, and sharing without much real thought, intent, or purpose behind what it is that we are doing. Even worse, they make people crave approval based on likes and followers instead of who they actually are. In The Myth of Sisyphus, Camus points out that “if this myth is tragic, that is because its hero is conscious” (Camus, Myth 119). Without being fully aware of what we’re doing, we risk falling into a meaningless cycle that disconnects us from real life.

 

            Even though this sounds pretty depressing, Camus never said to give up. He believed we should fight back against the absurd through conscious choices. In The Myth of Sisyphus, he talks about Sisyphus pushing his boulder uphill forever, but still finding happiness in the struggle because “the struggle itself toward the heights is enough to fill a man's heart” (Camus, Myth 123). In the same way, Camus would encourage us to push against the pull of constant digital distraction. Even something small, like choosing to log off for a while, can be a rebellious act that puts you back in control of your own life. Instead of chasing fake perfection online, Camus would want people to find meaning in real relationships, creative work, and everyday experiences. 

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            At the end of the day, Camus would probably see social media addiction as a symptom of a bigger problem: people are scared to face a life without real meaning. In The Myth of Sisyphus, he says, “We get into the habit of living before acquiring the habit of thinking” (Camus, Myth 6). In today’s world, that’s even more true. Instead of taking time to reflect, people reach for their phones the second they feel uncomfortable or bored. But Camus would remind us that if we want real meaning in life, we have to think deeply, face the absurd head-on, and live with purpose. Even though Camus never lived to see social media, his ideas still apply. In a world full of distractions, his message stays the same: stay awake, make conscious choices, and never give up your freedom.