Bertrand Russell argued that if he claimed a tiny teapot orbited the sun between Earth and Mars, no one could disprove it, but that wouldn't make believing it rational. His thought experiment demonstrates that burden of proof lies with those making claims, not skeptics. Modern internet culture ignores this principle by demanding people disprove every conspiracy theory and wild assertion.

Sartre argued humans are condemned to be free, bearing full responsibility for every choice without predetermined essence or purpose. Seagulls embody this absolute freedom by soaring wherever they choose while remaining accountable for their flight patterns. Unlike humans who create elaborate excuses for inaction, seagulls embrace their existential freedom to dive, soar, or scavenge without anguish.

Arthur Schopenhauer believed life swings between the pain of wanting something and the boredom of having it. He was the original pessimist philosopher who thought desire was the root of all misery while most people chase pleasure like it's going to save them. Schopenhauer would have absolutely hated modern wellness culture because he knew that trying to be happy just makes you more aware of how miserable you actually are.

Freud traced every psychological problem back to childhood trauma and parental relationships, especially mothers. His Oedipus complex theory suggested boys secretly want to marry their mothers while competing with fathers. Modern psychology has moved beyond these ideas, but "your mom" jokes (in German!) accidentally captured Freudian logic about maternal fixation causing all neuroses.

Camus said we must imagine Sisyphus happy while the ouroboros shows us everything is eternal repetition. Push the boulder, watch it roll down, repeat forever. Life is an endless cycle where we pretend there's progress but it's just the same absurd loop. Monday mornings prove we're trapped in the serpent's cycle while Sisyphus grins knowing the secret: the struggle itself is enough.

Camus used Sisyphus to illustrate the human condition: condemned to push meaningless tasks toward infinity while knowing they'll never end. The boulder represents all our repetitive struggles against an indifferent universe that offers no ultimate purpose or resolution. Absurdism teaches us to imagine Sisyphus happy, finding meaning in the eternal struggle itself rather than seeking escape from it.