Free Will or Determinism: What Does Camus Think?

Free will is the idea that people are in control of their own behavior and their actions result from a conscious decision. The free will ideology also states past events will not implicitly influence present or future actions. Finally, free will says that we are wholly responsible for our actions.

Determinism is that idea that everyone’s course of action is predetermined. Determinism would mean that if we were to go back in time and relive what we have already experienced, no events or conditions would be altered. Conversely, determinism says if we were able to gather substantial information, we could accurately predict the future.

What does Camus think?
Albert Camus believes in a person’s ability to have free will that within what is predetermined and has a novel hypothesis about consciousness. In his essay on Sisyphus he writes, “If this myth is tragic, that is because its hero is conscious” (2). His argument says by maintaining the illusion of free will we are able to avoid tragedy. There are certain things we are fated to do; certain toils we must endure, certain successes we will have, certain journeys we will go on. But how we get from point A to point B—what music we listen to while we do our chores, what color pen we will use on the science test we are about to ace, whether to take I-290 or side streets to get downtown—is where we can exercise our freedom. The major plot points are already laid out, but we get to write in the details.

We must be careful, he implies, of getting too caught up in the things we cannot control, because by doing so we will find ourselves disheartened and stagnant. We must find where freedom hides and savor it when we do.

Is Meursault a Sociopath?

       A sociopath is someone with a personality disorder manifesting itself in extreme antisocial attitudes and behaviors and a lack of conscience. Meursault, at times, shows signs of having sociopathic tendencies. For example, his reaction to his mother's death strikes some people as underdramatic and unsympathetic. Furthermore, the killing of the Arab definitely strikes as an unconventional event. Regardless of what may have been perceived, Meursault was not participating in self-defense. Therefore his exaggerated attack proved to be inhumane, and unnecessary.
      Knowing this information, one could make the assumption that Meursault is indeed a sociopath. On the other hand, what if this way of thinking was unfair to Meursault?
      Some would consider judging him in this manner reflects more on the judging person than on Meursault. Why do readers feel the need to judge how Meursault deals with his troubles. Readers consider Meursault's actions as 'bad' because they are different from their own actions. Although Meursault doesn't do this to others. So an existentialist might ask, 'Why is there a defined 'right' way to grieve and what if I don't feel like grieving that way?'

Featuring Logan Paul as The Stranger

The general public may know Logan Paul best for his scandals involving filming a dead body and tazing rats. He's found himself the subject of the internet's ire several times in the past months, but no one has stopped to consider his literary impact. When given the context of The Stranger, Paul's shenanigans seem eerily familiar.

For example, Logan's greatest controversy is a video he posted about discovering a suicide victim in Japan's Aokigahara forest, which is famously the site of many suicides. His reaction was totally emotionally removed, much as Mersault was when he killed Raymond's man. The emotional impact one might expect from that proximity to death was absent; Logan Paul laughed, and Mersault worried about the inconvenience that the death would represent.

They also share a distinct disregard for animals. Mersault seems totally unfazed by Salamano's abuse of his dog, despite the clear brutality of his beatings. Similarly, Logan Paul has proven insensitive towards the plight of animals. He got in hot water with many animal rights groups, including PETA, for posting a video featuring himself tazing a dead rat, a clear show of insensitivity to the dignity of nonhuman animals.

The strange parallels continue with the treatment of women. Mersault seems content to befriend Raymond, a violent man whom he witnesses viciously beating a woman. Similarly, Logan Paul's brother Jake Paul's girlfriend has alleged that he abused against her. Regardless, Logan Paul has continued to work with his brother.

The similarities between Mersault and Logan Paul are uncanny. Maybe, they're a little too uncanny. I propose that the personality we know as "Logan Paul" is a part of an elaborate sort of production, where actors play out the story of The Stranger through social media and video streaming services like YouTube. It would follow, then, that we are leading up to the shooting at the end of Part 1.
But that's just a theory, A GAME THEORY. Thanks for watching.
Just a thought.