“When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.”
Viktor E. Frankl
Man’s Search for Meaning packs a big promise in the title if not the biggest. Mankind has been searching for meaning since the beginning of time. The ultimate truth, religion, science this is the ultimate goal for them all. What is the meaning of all this? Why are we here? Philosophers, scientists have been grappling with this question since the dawn of civilisation. In my opinion Viktor Frankl has successfully answered the question with his life experience and work.
Star rating
5 stars
About the Author
“Those who have a ‘why’ to live, can bear with almost any ‘how’.”
“Those who have a ‘why’ to live, can bear with almost any ‘how’.”
― Viktor E. Frankl, Man’s Search for Meaning
Viktor Emil Frankl was a Jewish Austrian Psychiatrist. He was born in 1905 in Vienna Austria. In 1942 nine months after his marriage Frankl and his family were sent to a concentration camp. In 1944 he was sent to Auschwitz. His entire family died during the years in the concentration camps. Frankl spent 3 years in 4 concentration camps. Following the war he became the head of neurology department of the Vienna Polyclinic Hospital. He founded logotherapy, a school of psychotherapy that describes the search for a life’s meaning as the central motivational force.
Summary
Man’s Search for Meaning is an excellent book for anyone who is looking for a meaning in life. Living through extreme conditions in concentration camps Frankl found answers not only for himself but for fellow camp inmates. In this book Frankl has shared his experience and his experiments with people around him in hopeless conditions. It is a beautiful mix between practical efforts, thinking and spirituality. Frankl was a psychiatrist before the war and received an offer to immigrate to the US when things became worrisome in Europe. He decided to stay in Austria to be with his parents during the difficult time of world war II. Soon after he was captured and sent to one of the concentration camps. In this book Frankl does not go into a lot of detail about the condition of the camps as we have many accounts of those through other literature. He focuses more on the mental struggles he went through and how he tried to stay motivated and helped others find a purpose as well.
My Evaluation
Life in concentration camps is a compelling example of hope in the midst of despair. Who can be more rightful to talk about meaning of life than those who survived the holocaust, found reasons to laugh, make jokes, dance and most of all hope? Frankl in his book has shared instances when someone lost hope they would just not get up in the morning to go for work. They knew that failing to report to work will mean death sentence and they were waiting for it. Those who smoked the whole pack of cigarette didn’t want to save it for another day. These were the signs for other inmates to know that they have given up on life.
“Happiness cannot be pursued; it must ensue.”
Viktor E. Frankl
Frankl was curious about himself and others about the reasons why some people had hope while others did not. He mentioned one of the reasons for him was the desire to finish his book that he had started before the war. On his first day in the camp when he was asked to strip he wanted to keep the manuscript of his book. The guards though threw it away. At that moment he decided to keep notes for his book by any means he could. He started helping those who he thought were losing hope by helping them find a purpose in what they could achieve.
Final Thoughts
I recommend this book for anyone who is looking for meaning of life. A purpose in life.
Until next week. Ciao!
