Man's Search For Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl
Summary from the back cover
“Psychiatrist Viktor Frankl's memoir has riveted generations of readers with its descriptions of life in Nazi death camps and its lessons for spiritual survival. Between 1942 and 1945 Frankl labored in four different camps, including Auschwitz, while his parents, brother, and pregnant wife perished. Based on his own experience and the experiences of others he treated later in his practice, Frankl argues that we cannot avoid suffering but we can choose how to cope with it, find meaning in it, and move forward with renewed purpose. Frankl's theory-known as logotherapy, from the Greek word logos ("meaning")-holds that our primary drive in life is not pleasure, as Freud maintained, but the discovery and pursuit of what we personally find meaningful.”
My key Takeaways
Below is a great excerpt that explains the main idea…
“ Man’s search for meaning is the primary motivation in his life and not a “secondary rationalization” of instinctual drives. This meaning is unique and specific in that it must and can be fulfilled by him alone; only then does it achieve a significance which will satisfy his own will to meaning. There are some authors who contend that meanings and values are “nothing but defense mechanisms, reaction formations and sublimations.” But as for myself, I would not be willing to live merely for the sake of my “defense mechanisms,” nor would I be ready to die merely for the sake of my “reaction formations.” Man, however, is able to live and even die for the sake of his ideals and values!”
Logotherapy is neither teaching or preaching: Frankl gives the example of the logotherapist’s role compared to an eye specialist, someone who tries to widen our visual field so we can see the world as it really is
Logotherapy states we can discover meaning in 3 different ways: by creating work or doing a deed (by way of achievement or accomplishment), by experiencing something or encountering someone, and by the attitude we take towards unavoidable suffering
The second way entails experiencing something - such as goodness, truth, beauty, experiencing nature and culture, and by experiencing the uniqueness of another human being - by loving them
Love is the only way to grasp another at the innermost core of their personality and we cannot be fully aware of the essence of another unless we love them. Love enables us to see not only traits we see but the person’s potential that is yet to be actualized. Through loving someone can we unlock their ability to actualize the potentialities.
Love is as primary of a phenomenon as sex in logotherapy. Love is not just a side effect of sex, but sex is a way of expressing the experience of an ultimate togetherness - which is love
The meaning of suffering - Frankl makes it clear that suffering is not necessary to find meaning, but rather that meaning is possible in spite of suffering. We are able to cope with the suffering when we assign purpose or meaning to it - this justification of it can be enough for us to not dwell on it
I would recommend this book to
If you like reading about existentialism
You like psychology
You would like to find meaning in your own life
You are interested in learning about logotherapy