"The purpose of a writer is to keep civilization from destroying itself.”
- Albert Camus, the French-Algerian philosopher, author, and journalist.
🧠 Who was Albert Camus?
- Lived: 1913-1960
- Known as: French-Algerian philosopher, novelist, and journalist
- Famous for:
- Founding figure of absurdism, exploring the tension between human meaning-making and a meaningless universe
- Classic works like The Stranger, The Plague, The Myth of Sisyphus, and The Fall
- A distinct moral voice during times of war, injustice, and existential despair
- Contributions:
- Rejected nihilism while refusing easy optimism, urging us to live with dignity, even in the face of the absurd
- Used storytelling as a moral force, often addressing themes of freedom, responsibility, and rebellion
- Won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1957 at just 44, one of the youngest recipients ever
- Influenced generations of writers, thinkers, and activists seeking to balance clarity with compassion
Camus believed that writing was an act of resistance, a way to affirm life, protect truth, and hold the powerful to account. His reminder that "the purpose of a writer is to keep civilization from destroying itself" still rings painfully true today.