“Man’s Search for Meaning” is a profound and insightful book written by Viktor Frankl, an Austrian psychiatrist and Holocaust survivor. Published in 1946, the book explores Frankl’s experiences in Nazi concentration camps during World War II and delves into his psychotherapeutic approach known as logotherapy. Within the confines of concentration camps, where death and despair lurked around every corner, Frankl not only manages to survive, but he emerged with an intrinsic yearning for purpose and meaning.
As we embark on this transformative journey, let’s prepare to confront our fears, challenge our assumptions, and grapple with the profound questions that lie at the core of our being. Within the pages of this book, Frankl offers us a poignant reminder that even amidst the darkest moments of human history, the flicker of hope and the quest for meaning can illuminate our path, reminding us of the extraordinary resilience and the boundless capacity of the human spirit.
However, before we dive into this book, let me tell you a story.
It was a couple of years ago. I had started journaling because every self-help book and YouTuber vouched for its benefits. I had consistently journaled every day, but I was blinded by its effectiveness. Until I fell upon a website that provided a list of prompts for journaling; one regarding happiness notably struck me.
Are you happy right now?
Yes, I would write. I am happy.
How do you define happiness in your life?
Well, I get to play video games every night with my friends. I also go out to bars with them every weekend and spend most of my days with them.
My friends bring me happiness. I repeatedly write down.
What happens if your friends are not around? Are you still happy?
Then, I wait for them to be available for me.
I am happy. I write.
This journal entry was my breakthrough. I finally realized how unhappy and unfulfilled I felt. At that time, I lived for my friends and the weekends. Yet, my journey just began. Acknowledging my problem was the first step, now the daunting solution was missing. How do I find happiness?
That question in itself is a paradox. You cannot pursue happiness. In Viktor Frankl’s book, he proposes that true happiness emerges as a byproduct of living a meaningful life. Happiness cannot be the primary goal as it is a futile endeavor that will leave you feeling empty and unfulfilled. This is because happiness, when pursued solely for personal gratification, tends to be fleeting. External circumstances of happiness can always change, leaving you constantly seeking the next pleasurable experience.
If I cannot pursue happiness, how can I find meaning in life? Viktor Frankl argues there are three elements required to find meaning. They helped him persevere in the concentration camps and are part of his psychotherapeutic approach called logotherapy. The three elements are work, suffering, and love.
Finding Meaning Through Work
When Frankl first entered Auschwitz, Nazi guards stripped him of his possessions. They notably confiscated a manuscript he had been working on his entire life. In response, Frankl vowed to persevere and survive in the concentration camps so that he could rewrite and publish his manuscript. He would often visualize what his manuscript would look like and write it over and over in his head. This manuscript became his life’s purpose. He survived typhus and the brink of death so that he could publish this book. He valued his work because he knew he had a unique collection of experience, knowledge, and skills to write this book. He convinced himself that his death would lead to the world missing his contribution.
On the other hand, those who could not find meaning through work would succumb to a provisional existence of unknown limits. They had nothing to look forward to, so they would constantly question when their suffering would end. Frankl argued that prisoners who had lost faith in the future were doomed and subject to physical decay. He supported this belief through his observation of death rates between Christmas and New Year. The majority of prisoners lived in naiveté that they would be home again by Christmas. As the time drew near, prisoners would lose hope and a great number would pass away.
“Life ultimately means taking the responsibility to find the right answer to its problems and to fulfill the tasks which it constantly sets for each individual.”
Viktor Frankl
Meaningful work offers a sense of purpose and contribution. It enhances one’s overall well-being and provides a source of meaning in life. Meaningful work goes beyond financial gain and involves engaging in tasks that align with one’s values, interests, and skills. When individuals find work that allows them to contribute to something greater than themselves, they experience a deep sense of fulfillment. Meaningful work forms man’s destiny.
Finding Meaning Through Suffering
The core of Frankl’s philosophy is that Man’s deepest desire is to find meaning in his life, and with meaning, he can survive anything. Frankl found meaning in his experiences at the concentration camps by utilizing his suffering as an opportunity to write his book. Instead of accepting his doom, he embraced his suffering and explored the power of freedom.
“Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms – to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.”
Viktor Frankl
We must never forget that we may also find meaning in life even when confronted with a hopeless situation when facing a fate that cannot be changed. For what then matters is to bear witness to the uniquely human potential at its best, which is to transform a personal tragedy into a triumph, to turn one’s predicament into a human achievement. When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.
There is one anecdote from the book that comes to mind. This happened when Frankl was a practicing psychiatrist and an elderly patient walked into his office. The old man had severe depression over the loss of his wife that had died two years prior. How did Frankl help the poor man? He showed him the meaning of his suffering. He explained that if the man had died first, his wife would have to suffer his pain. However, her passing allowed the old man to spare her from this suffering. Later, the man left Frankl’s office feeling purpose. He would persevere and mourn his wife.
Frankl observed from this consultation that suffering ceases to be suffering the moment it finds meaning. Furthermore, it is important to note that Frankl could not change the old man’s fate. His wife passed away and there was nothing that could be done, besides one thing: to change one’s attitude. In the end, Frankl was able to provide two things to his patient, meaning to his suffering and a change in attitude.
Finding Meaning Through Love
The most heartbreaking meaning Frankl found in his life is his love for his wife. When they arrived at Auschwitz, he was unfortunately separated from his wife. He had no idea where she was, or when he would see her again. However, the thought of reuniting with his wife preoccupied his mind constantly. There were even times he swore he could physically feel her presence. Unfortunately, he would come to learn that his wife had tragically passed away. Even so, Frankl persevered.
Frankl’s definition of love is different from what you might think. It has little to do with being in love but rather with its transformative power of self-transcendence:
“The more one forgets himself – by giving himself to another person to love – the more human he is and the more he actualizes himself.”
Viktor Frankl
He argues that individuals can find profound fulfillment and self-actualization by going beyond their self-interests. When you direct your focus towards others and give yourself to someone outside of yourself, you can tap into a deeper sense of purpose. This act of love allows you to break free from self-centeredness and expand your capacity for empathy and compassion. Consequently, you will be able to form meaningful relationships built on love and deep connections with others.
Conclusion
In sum, finding meaning in life is an extremely difficult task. If you are lucky enough to have found one, hold on tight and never let it go. As for me, I admit I did not find mine yet. However, I try my absolute best to search for meaning every day. Rather than allowing life to pass by, I try to make the most out of my days in search of purpose.
Live like your life is one long apprenticeship preparing you for a task you believe you were born to do. Seek new experiences, acquire knowledge, and develop a rare combination of valuable skills. You are special and unique. Your life’s task is out there, waiting for you, and only you, to complete it.
On that note, I would like to leave you with a quote that has greatly impacted me. I had first known of it through this book, but it is not from Viktor Frankl. This man is a famous German philosopher who is best known for his work “Beyond Good & Evil“. I hope you appreciate this quote as much as I do.
“He who has a why to live for can bear with almost any how.”
Friedrich Nietzsche