Book Review: "The Rebel" by Albert Camus

Albert Camus is one of those strange writers where I think I do like what he writes, but at times he can feel like more of a celebrity than a writer. He seems like he has good ideas and then ruins them with this near-narcissism which underpins his works. If I can feel it then I pretty sure there are a few other people who can feel it too. Sometimes, his voice can feel like he is the speaker of the people and is speaking on behalf of others. Sometimes, his writing resonates with the struggle of the common man. He treads the fine line between, at times he falls on one side and then, on the other. Let's have a look at some of the ideas he explores in the text.

Camus begins by exploring the concept of metaphysical rebellion, which is a revolt against the conditions of existence and the absurdity of life. This rebellion questions the meaning of life and the human condition in a universe perceived as indifferent or hostile. Now, I both agree and disagree with this. First of all, I agree because humans have essentially created an everyday life for themselves that they do not particularly like. But, I have to also disagree in the sense that not everyone feels that everyday life is absurd and for most people it is the only reality they know. Absurd in comparison to something should be stated but isn't explored.

The author distinguishes between rebellion and revolution. Rebellion is an individual's response to perceived injustice or absurdity, while revolution often seeks to completely overthrow and replace existing structures or systems. Camus warns that revolutions can lead to the very tyranny they sought to escape. Now, this is something I can get on the side of. All we have to do is look to the Russian Revolution to see that good intentions are not always the best way to go. The French Revolution is another example in which we can see things descend into tyranny. I'm not sure Robespierre had good intentions to begin with though - he seemed pretty tyrannical from the start.

The rebel, according to Camus, affirms their own values and those of others. This affirmation is crucial, as rebellion should not lead to nihilism or the denial of all values, but rather to the defense of shared human values. This is where we get to the whole point of the book and honestly, I quite surprised that it is such a balanced definition. I half-expected it to give me an image of a James Dean like character, but in fact that isn't what he's doing here at all. The rebel needs to uphold the greatest shared values of humanity - a nice thought. The only thing I am worried about is whether I can actually think of an example of this happening. I don't think it is a reality.

Camus also explores the relationship between art and rebellion, arguing that art is a form of rebellion against the absurd. Artists, through their work, challenge and question the world, asserting their vision of truth and beauty. If this is the case then the Romantic Era was among the most rebellious we have ever seen. I feel like this might be a good sentiment but not one that is shared by the masses. It is shared by me, but that's besides the point. Many people would argue the greatest artistic age was the Renaissance and that was revertion back to the classics rather than a rebellion. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I feel like he could have expanded this idea more than he does in the text.

It's a very short book and many of the ideas are explored in short (just like our one on art). I liked reading the ideas but I do wonder if maybe reading the rest of Camus' bibliography will create a large text of ideas in itself in which there are these expansions I'm looking for. Someone told me that the idea of the 'absurd' explored in The Rebel is expanded in The Myth of Sisyphus and since I have already read the latter one I can say that there is an expansion, but again the text is short. I wonder if I will ever find a text by Camus that goes into unrelenting detail. I would pay good money for it.