AboutWhat does the meme depict?
The meme 'One Must Imagine Sisyphus Happy' is inspired by the final line of Albert Camus' essay, 'The Myth of Sisyphus.' This meme typically involves video clips where characters from video games, TV shows, or other media are depicted in an endless and repetitive task, akin to the myth of Sisyphus pushing a boulder uphill. These clips are often humorously paired with the song 'Me and the Birds' by Duster, accentuating the absurdity and yet the determination seen in these Sisyphean efforts.
OriginWho did it first?
The character Sisyphus from Greek mythology, condemned to push a boulder up a hill for eternity, symbolizes relentless struggle and futility. Albert Camus elaborated this myth in his 1942 essay, 'The Myth of Sisyphus' (read essay), where he portrays Sisyphus' never-ending task as an expression of human defiance and the search for personal meaning amidst life's absurdity. The meaningfulness of this struggle was adapted into meme culture predominantly starting in December 2022, with a notable early adaptation by an Instagram (now X) user bupinup, who posted a video of a Roblox character emulating Sisyphus' eternal toil. This concept gained traction on TikTok (now X) in early 2023, with several creators, such as @soupsucker and @danthehistoryman, producing videos that humorously yet poignantly applied the 'One must imagine Sisyphus happy' theme to various modern and relatable scenarios.[1]
Origin: 2023