Man's Search for Meaning

Wow. I work at a bookstore and have always been interested in the psychological and spiritual elements of life, so it was admittedly humbling when a young girl asked me to help her find this million-selling book which I had never heard of. Upon locating it, I looked at it in my hands and asked her what it was about----besides the obvious, that is. She didn't know that much about it herself, except that it had come highly recommended. I made a mental note to pick it up a copy, and did so. I dunno. There was just something about it.... Maybe it was the fact that this book just reeks of brilliance. And even more importantly, LOGIC!!! For something so short, it's amazing that Victor was able to cram so much insight and genius into such a small, riveting piece. From page one, you are enraptured, totally drawn into his grueling first-person account of what it was like to spend years in a concentration camp. Of special interest is it to note that Victor takes great pains not to "overglorify" the events, but instead chooses only to document accounts that were relevant to his learning.
The second part of the book illustrates logotherapy, logos actually meaning the word "meaning". He discusses the existential vaccuum (TV, sex, etc), among other issues. Although enthralled by psychology, I was of course worried this segment would be drier and/or difficult to understand. Fortunately, Frankl is much better at explaining himself than the likes of other fascinating minds (e.g. Jung, etc.), and this part of the book was just as entertaining, since he not only speaks in a language we can all easily understand but also discusses behaviors and scenarios we each face (and struggle with) all the time.
One example really stood out to me. He tells of an older, educated man of society who comes to him for help. Apparently this man's wife had died two years prior and he was still having difficulty overcoming the grief and loneliness--the utter depression---he was experiencing. He didn't know what to do. Victor simply asked him what his wife would have done had HE died first. The man quickly assured Victor that she would have been equally distraught and would have suffered greatly. Victor then commended the man on what a tremendous gift he was able to give to his wife in saving her all of that tremendous pain. The expense was, of course, his own pain and suffering, but he was still able to save his beloved wife from going through such a traumatic ordeal, and instead had gone through it FOR her (since one of them was bound to do it at some point!) This man, in five minutes, was healed. And beaming. My grandmother is going through this EXACT scenario, and you can be sure I am sending her a xeroxed, enlarged copy of that part of the book, to say the very least.
His work is as equally philosophical as it is psychological--he speaks---NOT "preaches"---of changing one's outlook, which was perhaps the only thing the Germans couldn't rob the Jews of. And afterwards--although he's very careful not to tell anyone that they "should" in fact change their perspective, you can't help but look at things differently---with more acceptance and analysis than you might have otherwise done so. It's very enlightening, riveting, and insightful, and I look forward to exploring more of his mind and works.
There is now not a doubt in my mind that the aforementioned customer at the beginning of this review came up to ME looking for that book for a REASON--and that I was supposed to read this book. And the next time she came in, I thanked her profusely as we discussed the book in total awe of what we had read. I can't recommend this book enough---to anyone and everyone. It should be required reading! In fact, I already bought a copy for my friend Rebecca, who just received her masters in psychology, although it would make a great gift for just about anybody.
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My copy of Viktor E. Frankl's book is dog-eared through constant re-reading. Never has such a short book had such a long-reaching effect on my life. The story of his survival against formidable odds in Nazi concentration camps may be compared with other great survival stories and stories of people with extraordnary handicaps who make their lives a resounding success. I never understood how they did it. And now I know and I feel inspired because I know. They gave their lives meaning, and worked on that every waking moment. Some aspects of logotherapy do, as one reviewer notes, sound a bit like reverse psychology. But if it works, who cares about the label? I'm cynical about self-help books and self-styled gurus but Dr Frankl and his book don't even belong in that genre. The Los Angles Times is right: "If you read but one book this year, Dr Frankl's book should be that one".

During World War II, the experiences that Austrian psychiatrist Viktor Frankl went through in concentration camps convinced him that above all else man needs a sense of purpose and meaning. He watched as the responses that different people had to the same conditions led some to survive and others to die.

In "Man's Search for Meaning," Frankl recalls his experiences in the camps and sets forth his theory of logotherapy, which states that what man most yearns for is not power or pleasure, but meaning. Frankl believed that a good percentage of those who live in modern, industrialized societies live in an "existential vacuum," and for people in that situation prescribes a goal-oriented outlook that asks not what we can get from life but what life expects from us.

Frankl also discusses the meaning of suffering and asserts that what matters most is not what happens to us but our response to it. The book also has other great insights into the human condition and the meaning of suffering as well as tips to combat anxiety and find meaning in life.

"Man's Search for Meaning" has long been considered a classic, and if you have heard of it and meant for a long time to read it you will certainly not regret finally doing so.

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".

I bought this book because I was searching for yet another book on workplace bullying and another book came up in my search based on Frankl's book. I read the customer reviews on that book and one reviewer said something to the effect of, "If you want to read a book based on Viktor Frankl's opinion of how to get along at a bad work environment (like a Nazi death camp), why don't you just read Frankl's book?" So, that's where I started. I read it. Twice. Then I got out my computer and typed in passages that had meaning to me so I could re-read them during difficult times. I compressed the entire book down to about 10 pages, single spaced. I must admit that I consider myself a negative, often depressed sort of person, mostly because my work situation is so demoralizing. I was amazed by Frankl's coping mechanisms on how to get along in a difficult situation; every day meant multiple incidents of having to choose the correct path to avoid death or worse, making the choice to give up on your own life (suicide). He went through 5 years of that and lived to tell about it. It is a must read for everyone, particularly when you are having the hardest time of your life. I could tell that if I had read it as a college student, it wouldn't have the same meaning as now, when I am 50 and have had many ups and downs. I see everything at such a deeper level and appreciated this book so much more than I would have if I were younger. Briefly, the lessons in the book written 50 years ago still apply today. Here they are: Let luck be your guide. It's not what you know, it's who you know. Network with the equivalent of a one-step-up lateral (not your own) middle manager and they will help you when they can. Schmooze. Be kind to others. Don't complain, it doesn't help. You can't fix, deal with or appeal to a sadist, so don't try. Avoid sadists at all costs. Keep your mouth shut unless asked for your opinion and then be short and to the point. Praise, even when praise isn't deserved. Keep criticisms to yourself. Be inconspicuous. Work hard for the sake of doing a good job. Fantasize for escape. Everything can be taken away from you except for your past, so relish in it. When something good happens to you, write it down (keep a gratitude journal). Don't do anything that compromises your own values so you won't have regrets. Be careful who you abuse today because tomorrow they may be your master. You are not your job, your title or your position. You are a unique person loved by others. The only thing in life that really matters is the people you love and the people who love and need you. Love shared is eternal. Treat everyone with respect. The meaning of life is not what life can do for you, but what life expects of you; how you make the world a better place with your presence. The purpose of life is not happiness. The purpose of life is discovering what you can contribute to it. Save a slice of bread (or whatever is the only material thing that matters to you when there is nothing left) for later when you are really depressed and it's the only thing left that can get you through that difficult moment. (For me it's chocolate and a dark beer at the same time.) Apathy is the signaling of the beginning of the end of one's life. Everyone that you respect and look up to has human failings. Even tough guys cry. Suffering without purpose is meaningless. The larger the suffering, the bigger the lesson. There's lots more in the book for you to discover and it's an easy read.

I purchased "Mans Search for meaning" because Amazon suggested it after I read "Night" by Elie Wiesel. I began to read it, and at first it seemed quite a bit like "Night" (which was a terrific book may I mention). As you read on after his story of being in the Concentration Camp, he begins to talk about how he was able to handle being in the position in which he was. This is when the book begins to hit you differently! It feels like he is talking directly to you. Trying to help guide you in a better direction than what your life may be leading. It makes you want to be and do better! I believe everyone gets something different and the same from "Man Search for Meaning". It helped me, I now feel like my life is going in the right direction, thanks to Viktor E Frankl. I highly recommend this book! Make time to read it, there's so much power in such a small book.

I was given this book by a psych. that knew Dr. Frankl's son. It was so 'heavy' that I read it over and over and over. Not ony were the quotes so deep that I still quote them to others in 'need' to this day. I keep my old book in my emergency kit - it's very important to me in times of crisis - including our annual wildfire evacuations. Perhaps it's because I AM Jewish, but, I really understood, found depth in life and understanding. It also calmed my anxieties on death to a certain extent as well, something I have a hard time dealing with, mortality. What a brillant man, to not only survive a true living hell, but to rise above and become such a great person, author, doctor!! May heaven have that special place for him where he can now find all his loved ones.
amber, 41
Colorado

This book is divided into two parts. The first part is a moving description of Frankl's time in Nazi concentration, work and death camps. Related in simple language, this stark depiction of the evil of which man is capable and the strength of the human mind and spirit should be required reading in every school in America.
The second part of the book describes the psychological theories that Frankl developed as a result of his experience. The language is more academic, as is the subject matter, but, it remains interesting and instructive to the end. This book demands to be read in a single sitting and to be considered throughout one's life.

Please consider Viktor Frankl and his wonderful books with me for a fewe moments in time. The reason I edited in Psychology and against Psychiatry and Analysis was the same as the reasons of the great doctors of Europe had. Analysis made people cabable of doing things and of pleasure instead of living, adapting, and even being able to suffer and triumph over it. This is not a tautology at all. "Pleasure" and "doing" are the parts of life that rudimentary psychologies, as still exist in alleged "depth" and analytical psychology still do to the limited extents that it still survives and continues to damage human beings.
It is time to reconsider the books and thoughts of the great European born and internationally famous and revered Doctor and Existential Psychologist Viktor Frankl, who wrote "Artzliche Seelsorge," or "The Doctor and the Soul" and "Man's Search for Meaning." I was recently appalled that the life and work of Viktor Frankl contradicted every single thing a very bright and wonderful person whom I "met" on-line over two years ago, and later in person is and has been doing for many years in addition to getting support, conditional acceptance, and aquiescence from all family and friends for their behaviors and lifestyle.
I became greatly concerned when I was trusted and admitted into the home of this fine person and discovered that they had never had much of a home at any time, but indeed had a very rich work life. This person had actually ceased to exist at all at home during the previous five years. Much of Europe supports this sort of existence, and certain countries there
This life completely contradicts and inverts what FRANKL who survived the entirety of Auschwitz and other places like it from 1939-45 says it NOT the way to do things. Instead of being outraged at their "help" playing psychological detective instead of helping them to find real meaning in life versus being emotionaly cold and inwardly dead. Frankl and others I worked with as a very young person in the early 1960's took a sense of compassion and concern born of their experiences much like Frankl's with the Nazi world, and of Ratibor Jurjevich with the communists after the war and Nazi invaders during it.
The entirety of the second chapter of "The Doctor and the Soul" deals with the movement from psychoanalysis to existential analysis, and particularly the meaning of life and work in all of its nuances inclusive of love, suffering and our work. The meanings of life, death, and the experience of the concentration camp and healing from it form part one. Part three defines LOGOTHERAPY and it's development on the bases of experience and the results of other less effective and very "attractive" forms of analysis all stemming from Freud that 'allow' other to develop a life that is devoid of spirit and human responsibilities.
The needs of the human spirit do not change. I've shared them with family including children, friends, colleagues, and readership for some time. Will to meaning is something that animals and analysts do not do or worry about at all. Frankl and others to include all of the American Psychological Association noted that psychoanalysis, analysis, and all "alleged" depth and anaytical approaches to humans were more than willing to turn "will to meaning" to a neurosis and frailty! Human spirituality exists separate of religion, and very often atheists and their families neglect this aspect of life at their peril. The concept of deity and spirituality are and should be mutually exclusive. Religion demands and does otherwise and atheism and agnosticism often throw out the proverbial baby and bathwater. Spirituality is a value and scientific in every way as Frankl is willing to relate to those willing to read.
"The mind is a place of its own and makes a heav'n of hell and a hell of heav'n." John Milton: "Paradise Lost"

This book is profound and offers the reader much to ponder. Viktor Frankl's intellect is evident as well as his compassion. The spritual nature of the work is quite moving. This book offers an insightful view into a place and subject impossible to comprehend. I thank Dr. Frankl for his wisdom and sharing. Through this book, he has been able to bring deep meaning out of incredible suffering and tragedy. This is a rare accomplishment.