What gives your life meaning? What gets you out of bed each morning? What informs your choice to get up: obligations? Family? Coffee? Pursuit of Happiness? Sisyphus does not have the luxury of asking—or answering—these questions. Condemned by the gods to push a boulder up a mountain, only to watch it roll back down, Sisyphus continues his journey: day in and day out, up and down, over and over—for eternity.

Sisyphus' lot is terrible because it is eerily familiar. Day in and day out, we snooze our alarms, suffer the commute, consume things we know aren't good for us, count down the hours until the workday ends, scroll mindlessly, and then do it all over again the next day. Why? If life is a routine that offers no inherent meaning; if the success, progress, and happiness we pursue are out of reach, why get up? Why not end the ordeal? Why not deceive ourselves into believing that there is a higher purpose to our sufferings?

These are the questions Sisyphus invites us to confront.

In this Olio Read-In, Dina Odnopozova (PhD, Yale; Professor at Baruch College) will explore Albert Camus' “The Myth of Sisyphus” as a user’s manual to life and an introduction to existentialist philosophy. Together, we'll grapple with questions that are at once profoundly difficult and surprisingly simple: What makes life meaningful? How can we create meaning in the meaningless world? And is it possible to be happy in the universe that is indifferent to our predicaments?

Olio Read-ins were started by historian Jamie Warren:

"Rooted in the social revolution of the 1960s, Read-ins have always been essential to the political project of building communities, and bolstering progressive change. Read-ins announce: We will not remain alone, afraid, and cut off from one another. No. We will sit side by side and with the support of each other, we will read. We will learn. We will enrich our inner world so that we can find the courage to exist outside of it."

Put simply by one of our Olio members: "Read-Ins are like the book club that I actually want to be a part of. It's so much more fun to engage with these texts as a group and with a teacher than as a solo activity."

Teacher: Dina Odnopozova Dina Odnopozova holds a PhD from Yale and is a professor at Baruch College, where her work explores the intersection of literature, psychology, and the unconscious. She has led Olios on Freud, Jung, and the archetypal grammar of fairy tales — the witches, wolves, and forbidden doors that map the human subconscious. In this Read-in, she brings that same depth of attention to Camus.

Think Olio is an ongoing experiment in lifelong learning. We are a community of open-minded people who gather to exchange ideas with new friends and connect over art, literature, and philosophy. Check out our full calendar Our $30 membership gives you two events for the price of one!

An Olio is what we call the social learning events we've been organizing since 2015. A blend between a lecture and a house party, Olios are led by a teacher who loves sharing their passions and the room is filled with curious, open-minded New Yorkers.

Our goal is to spark new perspectives, ignite curiosity, and enjoy ourselves socially—an alternative to typical nightlife options.

Disclaimer: By purchasing a ticket, you agree to have your photo/video used for social media/marketing materials. If you prefer to not have your photo taken, feel free to send us a note. Photo by Zhi-Da Zhong

Olio Read-in: Camus' The Myth of Sisyphus

Olio Read-in: Camus' The Myth of Sisyphus