Are we living in delusion? The stoic absurdist answer to mental freedom and clarity on truth.

Neil De Grasse Tyson once said. "If your personal beliefs deny what's objectively true about the the world, then they're more accurately called personal delusions."

I believe this to be true. But I also believe it to be inescapable. No one operates outside of some sort of delusion. We are all victims of the narratives we find ourselves in; religious, political, cultural, familial, and even ones we create just for ourselves. How can any of us really know what is "true" or how things work. Some people can only find meaning in their life by making something up, with an opinion that "I am special" or "The world is like this.. and so my duty is to do this.." And it comes with a story that justifies it. And all stories are written with an element of fantasy. Every historical account has had embellishments of some sort, some exaggeration at the least. The Romans were notorious for adding some magical thing; "Poseidon rose from the sea" or something, but we all know that never really happened. The historical battle may have really happened, the bones were found, spear heads and records all exist to prove it all, but the justifications, fantasy elements and added meaning are not real. This is what the Bible is. Jesus never had magic powers. That is as ludicrous as to say that horses can fly. But people genuinely believe it, because it gives them the illusion that their life has meaning and purpose.
             

This is why I like philosophers such as Albert Camus, who to me has some stoic component, where he says imagine Sisyphus happy. Sisyphus was punished by the Greek Gods to push a boulder up a mountain for eternity. What a punishment, right? Albert Camus says a man can find purpose in the struggle to the top of the mountain. The struggle itself is enough to fill a man's heart. The work itself is the fulfilment. 

You can overcome your narrative delusions by taking control of your sense of meaning and purpose. Write your own narrative. Design it deliberately, with careful intention. Place your deluded narratives about yourself and your life in virtues that make you useful or give you the best chance of life-fulfilment or self-ascension. Being able to do that is true Stoic mastery. And Albert Camus absurdist approach is just one vehicle available to take you to that place of virtuous living. (Virtuous living being a meaningful life.)