“Man’s Search for Meaning” is a book written by Viktor Frankl, a holocaust survivor, and a doctor. The man’s work has left an immense impact on the literary scene and has been highly regarded by critics and the general audience alike. Detailing the author’s personal philosophy and way of life, it has offered readers a fresh and hopeful perspective on human existence. The purpose of this paper is to review the book’s contents, discuss some of its major themes and points, as well as to provide a personal perspective on its messaging and presentation. Starting with the general summary, this essay hopes to relay an honest opinion on Frankl’s work.
Summary
Being a physiological non-fiction story, the book describes the author’s pers journey to survival and self-discovery. The man tells his audience about the experiences of people living through German concentration camps, allowing strangers a glimpse into the horrors of that time. The man does not linger on the minute details too much, however, as his real-life experiences are mostly a tool to justify and contextualize his beliefs in a broader framework. The main purpose of the book is in outlining Frankl’s philosophy of Logotherapy, a process of finding meaning in human life. He contends that a singular individual is incapable of grasping the true meaning of their existence, a grand plan written for them by the universe. Instead, Frankl beliefs that people ought to find their own meaning in life, creating it as a result of their views on the world and experiences within it. By actively participating in life, acting in one’s interests, and building relationships with others, a person can find meaning in their existence. In his eyes, human purpose is self-made, regardless of an individual’s life circumstances or events they had to overcome.
Frankl believes that by understanding the meaning behind their life, a person is able to overcome any hardship and persevere against difficulties. Recontextualizing the events of one’s life and having a positive outlook is crucial here, as it allows one to control their feelings about any particular event. There are, however, three major driving factors behind human life, he contends: love, work, and courage. Love is the highest desire and goal to strive toward, finding meaning through creating relationships with other people and spreading kindness with others. Love is what has helped Frankl himself survive, as he continued to think about his wife in the concentration camp. Work can also become a driving factor if a person is truly invested in what they are doing. A passion to accomplish a challenging task, make one’s dream come true, or derive enjoyment from a satisfying activity can all fill a person’s life with meaning. A desire to cement one’s accomplishments in history through work can also be a motivating force, bringing significance even to momentary suffering. Courage, the last source of meaning, allows people to overcome difficulty and seek self-improvement in its stead. By facing the tide and coming out as a better person, one can find their calling. As much effort as it takes to find meaning, a person’s reasons to live are also specific to them and cannot be accomplished by anyone else. This outlook further highlights the importance of human life and shows that in the eyes of the author, every individual is special and valuable.
Frankl explains that the journey to self-fulfillment is difficult, and feelings of tension arise as a result of inner struggle. The human being is instinctively aware of the differences between their ideal self and the current self, which creates discomfort inseparable from the human experience. The mental gap between what one is and what one should become in the future is a crucial part of any person’s mental state.
The author also talks about the “Existential Vacuum”, a state of being that comes from a discrepancy between people’s instinct and the journey for meaning. The basic animalistic instinct that command lesser creatures have lost their power over humans, who are left unable to supplement the absence of meaning. Likewise, the diminishing traditions of the past become increasingly incapable of giving people a purpose in life, who are starting to struggle with finding a place to belong. These factors create an internal vacuum that results in feelings of meaninglessness and boredom. An increase in automation of work, people are left to ponder on their existence even further, making them dissatisfied and unproductive.
What the Book Has Taught Me
The book’s contents were extremely informative in shaping my understanding of resilience and coping mechanisms. When faced with challenges, pain, or great trauma, the human mind can often struggle to understand and recover from the experience creating long-term problems for an individual and their mental health. The need to ensure one’s wellbeing and health is what drives many people, including myself, to develop better coping mechanisms and strategies to overcome adversity and grow as individuals. This book, in particular, has taught me the ways to adjust my outlook on events to better process them. Frankl outlines that many of life’s challenges can be understood through a different lens, as an inevitable part of life that can and should be conquered. The author highlights the importance of finding a calling of some sort and reminding yourself of its importance to gain a better sense of context. This approach allowed me to establish a perspective on harmful events and understand that they do not ultimately define my life or my existence and that finding self-fulfillment in love, occupation, and connections with others are much more important. By reminding oneself of the future, the goals one desires to accomplish, and the things they want to experience, a person can survive a great many challenges.
Other Lessons from the Book
Importance of Love
In my personal life journey, I have never been able to find a meaning of life for certain. In always seemed like my goals were too small and insignificant, and the boredom or disinterest I felt was overwhelming. For a long time, I thought that finding meaning was not that important, that I could continue living without it, satisfying some of the more trivial desires I had and quietly spending the rest of my days. Love, similarly, never really interested me, in a romantic sense at least. Building connections with other people is complicated and contrived, with the thousand different ways an individual can behave. I often felt that finding love was something I did not need or want, to do, as it seemed more like a societal expectation that a genuine benefit to my life as it is.
These feelings are still a big part of my being, and I cannot simply choose to feel differently about the things that are not ingrained into my being. However, I feel that this book has provided me with some of the much-needed perspectives on the question of love, a position that is different from my own in a distinct way. The author often speaks of the importance of love, how much of a role it played in his ability to survive horrible events and give his life a purpose. Frankl’s words on the subject seemed hopeful and inspiring, in a way that not many other forms of media can be. I feel that his word may make me want to reconsider my views and put more effort into finding self-fulfillment. Maybe creating genuine connections with other people will be beneficial to be mental well-being in ways I cannot currently imagine.
Changes in the World Climate Contribute to People’s Boredom and Lack of Purpose
In his writing, Frankl has noted an interesting trend that grows with the growth and the development of civilization. As technology develops and civilization becomes more and more separate from its origins, people are starting to feel increasingly displaced from their more basic roles in society. The simple worldview of old generations and the minimalistic outlook on the roles of men and women in society becomes unable to accommodate the diverse and ever-growing population of people. With the traditions of old being unable to support contemporary society, and new norms not having the ability to form, individuals, are left to figure out their place in the world by themselves. Many of the jobs humans have traditionally filled are being overtaken by automation, leaving people even fewer opportunities to find their calling in labor.
The boredom and a large discrepancy this phenomenon creates spreads boredom and harms the mental wellbeing of the many. While having thought about the issue previously, I have not been able to aptly put all my thoughts into words, and the book has allowed me a broader perspective on the issue. I think that understanding the need to redefine an individual’s role in society and allow people more opportunities for self-realization and fulfillment could make many people’s lives a lot more enjoyable, including mine. By giving this issue more attention, I think I will be able to combat the systematic boredom I, like many others, feel on a daily basis.
How the Book Connects With the Topics of The Course
As discussed previously, the book deals with many themes central to ensuring a person’s mental well-being and finding the meaning behind their existence. The author talks at length about some of the tactics he used to overcome the horror of concentration camps, connecting with the topic of coping mechanisms and managing stress. Frankl has persevered against suffering by deriving meaning in its existence and making its presence and invaluable part of his personal growth. He also used things dear to his heart both a motivation and a distraction to dull the emotional impact the event had on him. He teaches how to manage one’s grief and not lose hope in the face of great tragedy. His writing can also be connected with the notions of self-care and human wellness. Finding a purpose for life, in Frankl’s eyes, is what gives people the highest level of fulfillment and satisfaction. Devoting one’s time to another person, sharing affection and love, as well as working on something you enjoy are all important aspects of self-care that are recognized as valid reasons to live by the author.