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Summary:
Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl is among the most influential works of psychiatric literature since Freud. The book begins with a lengthy, austere, and deeply moving personal essay about Frankl's imprisonment in Auschwitz and other concentration camps for five years, and his struggle during this time to find reasons to live. The second part of the book, called "Logotherapy in a Nutshell," describes the psychotherapeutic method that Frankl pioneered as a result of his experiences in the concentration camps. Freud believed that sexual instincts and urges were the driving force of humanity's life; Frankl, by contrast, believes that man's deepest desire is to search for meaning and purpose. Frankl's logotherapy, therefore, is much more compatible with Western religions than Freudian psychotherapy. This is a fascinating, sophisticated, and very human book. At times, Frankl's personal and professional discourses merge into a style of tremendous power. "Our generation is realistic, for we have come to know man as he really is," Frankl writes. "After all, man is that being who invented the gas chambers of Auschwitz; however, he is also that being who entered those gas chambers upright, with the Lord's Prayer or the Shema Yisrael on his lips."
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A Psychologist Experiences the Concentration Camp
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Victor Frankl's "Man's Search for Meaning" is a powerful reflection on his experiences in Nazi death camps where he observes Man in his best and worst capacities. In fact, it was first published in 1946 as "A Psychologist Experiences the Concentration Camp", a much more descriptive title. While it may seem Frank's manifesto was born of his imprisonment during middle age, by his late teens he had already begun formulating a thesis that the quest for meaning is the key to mental health. Ironically, his horrific experience in the camps offered him the opportunity to test his hypothesis.
The book was disappointing in its presentation. The text was relatively short at 165 pages, but it was not an easy read. The first part, which focused on Frankl's experience in concentration camps, was approximately 100 pages with no chapters or headers or organization in the narrative itself. The second part was Frankl's introduction to his "logotherapy" derivative of psychotherapy, and it is very academic in nature. A postscript and afterward follow. There was some notable redundancy throughout, and one might imagine the four sections were pulled from four separate sources.
But the unique observations expressed here belie the presentation. In a sad, evil place where "reality dimmed and all efforts and emotions were centered on one task: preserving one's own life" and the best inhabitants could hope for was "negative happiness-freedom from suffering", Frankl models the behavior of himself, his peers, and his captors.
Amid the pain, squalor, and certainty of death (Frankl stated his chances of survival at 1 in 28) in the prisons, Frankl adopted and articulated a stoic pride and respect for his predicament. For "without suffering and death, human life cannot be complete". He states that man must come to understand that "no one can relieve him of suffering or suffer in his place. His unique opportunity lies in the way he bears his burden". He wrote "Suffering became a task on which we did not want to turn our backs. We realized its hidden opportunities for achievement". For "everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of human freedoms-to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one's own way".
For Frankl and his companions in the throes of despair, the search for the meaning of life became singular. Frankl's answer, poignant if not hopeful: "We needed to stop asking ourselves the meaning of life, and instead to think of ourselves as those who were being questioned by life - daily and hourly. Our answer must consist, not in talk and meditation, but in right action and right conduct".
Happiness cannot be achieved, it can only ensue. "One must have a reason to `be happy'", and then they can achieve optimism despite the "Tragic Triad" of suffering, guilt, and death. Frankl frequently refers to Nietzsche's philosophy of "He who has a Why to live for can bear almost any How".
In "Meaning", readers will find some unique aphorisms and behavioral theories validated by the most rigorous testing imaginable. "In the concentration camps...in this living laboratory and testing ground, we watched and witnessed some of our comrades behave like swine while others behaved like saints. Man has both potentialities within himself; which one is actualized depends on decisions but not on conditions".
A Witness to the Survival of Hope
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Professor Gordon W. Allport writes in the preface to Dr. Victor Frankl's book, "Man's Search for Meaning" that, "A psychiatrist who personally has faced such extremity is a psychiatrist worth listening to". I could not agree more.
With a gentle yet critical eye, Dr. Frankl documents in great detail the physical, emotional and psychological conditions endured by the prisoners of Nazi concentration camps during the insanity of the second World War, based on first-hand experience. Although of Jewish background, Dr. Frankl presents a perspective more secular than religious, with values that all humanity can identify with and learn from, yet he never disregards the possibilities inherent in something "higher" than human understanding.
The book is divided into two parts. The first - "Experiences in a Concentration Camp" - is Frankl's autobiographical narrative, while the second part - "Logotherapy in a Nutshell" - contains a brief summary of the system of psychotherapy that Frankl developed throughout his life. The style of writing does not appreciably change between the sections, and the language is relatively simple and pleasant to read, which I always take as a sign of a talented author.
The experiences that Frankl describes make for fascinating and shocking reading. The level of deprivation and brutality the prisoners were subjected to does not seem comprehensible at times, and yet Frankl's humble and matter-of-fact style insists upon the reader's serious attention. As well as the anecdotes of concentration camp life, Frankl outlines various psychological states and phases experienced by prisoners - both those who did and did not survive. Interestingly, he also classifies people into two distinct types based on the conditions - the "race" of the "decent man" and the "indecent man", and these "races" were seen in all groups - Jew, Nazi, guard or prisoner. Frankl's observations along these lines seem especially interesting when viewed in the context of Ponerology.
Although Frankl's work carries a warning of the suffering and misery that human beings can allow to be perpetrated on a mass scale, his writing always turns to the optimistic, hopeful and meaningful, and what can be learned through suffering. Indeed, his system of psychotherapy - logotherapy - is based on hope and finding meaning. The second part of the book contains more information on this.
I strongly recommend this book to anyone with the even the slightest interest in psychology or history. Well written, insightful and touching, its success to date shows clearly that Dr Frankl has overcome immense suffering and touched something of the human soul in his life and work. He stands as an inspiration to all who aspire to express the creative aspects of Existence.
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Fascinating; deeply moving...
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A stunning story of a man who survived the horrors of concentration camps. He is a psychiatrist and developed his own theories and method of therapy called logotherapy. The book covers his experience in a concentration camp and the second half of the book explains his philosophy of logotherapy. Frankl says that the meaning of life is found in every moment of living; life never ceases to have meaning, even in suffering and death. He encourages his patients and readers to live a full life by looking to the future rather than reliving the past.
Quotation: "Self-transcendence of human existence: Being human always points, and is directed, to something, or someone, other than oneself - be it a meaning to fulfil or another human being to encounter. The more one forgets himself - by giving himself to a cause to serve or another person to love - the more human he is and the more he actualizes himself..."
Excellent read. Highly Recommended.
Who has a why to live can bear any how...
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Just in case, if one wants to ascertain the level of endurance human beings possess, he needs to go no further than read through the experiences at concentration camps as recalled by a survivor - Viktor Frankl - in this book.
And considering that a will to survive does not manifest only in situations where life is at stake, physically, but at various stages in life, where even smallest of problems can seem mammoth and wreck havoc in making life miserable at psychological level, the lessons contained in this book have vast practical applications, when it comes to understanding our survival instinct.
The basic principle which differentiates a survivor from a loser is well highlighted by the following quote, which is often cited by the author in the book - 'The one who has a why to live can bear almost any how.'
I would highly recommend this book and would suggest re-reading it a few times because it would better enable on to grasp and internalize the importance of the subject addressed in this book and appreciate the viewpoint of the author.
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