Book Review: Man’s Search For Meaning by Dr. Viktor Frankl
Man’s Search For Meaning is a thrilling psychology classic from the World War II era that is written by Dr. Viktor Frankl, a man who was imprisoned within the walls of concentration camps, including the infamous Auschwitz concentration camp in Poland. What’s more interesting is that the author is a psychologist, and despite the struggles and horrors that he went through and witnessed during his time in the concentration camps, he bravely practiced and wrote about the psychology of prisoners, guards, and everyone within the walls of the concentration camps.
Dr. Viktor Frankl takes us on a journey of the mental health of the prisoners inside the concentration camps. He describes the journey as three stages of mental reactions to the prison life: Shock, Apathy, and Depersonalization. Shock and disbelief at the fact that they are imprisoned in a concentration camp. Apathy at all the horrors they see going on around them. Depersonalization towards the freedom they are given upon their liberation from the concentration camps.
Dr. Frankl visualizes for the reader the daily life and the on-goings of life in a concentration camp. He talks on how a prisoner is hardened by the experiences and is made cold and apathetic. Prisoners were made to fend for themselves, as every situation was a life or death situation. Despite that, Dr. Frankl believes that men are made by the choices of the actions they make. He iterates that apathy could be over come and suppressed through spiritual freedom and independence of mind.
The main theme of this book revolves around a theory of mental health created by Dr. Viktor Frankl himself, known as logotherapy. The word Logo deriving from the greek word Logos, which translates to “meaning.” Logotherapy emphasizes the importance of a meaningful life and living for a purpose. Dr. Frankl talks of “provisional existence” that is the existence for something, for a goal, for a future. A person who cannot see their provisional existence does not live for the future, which results in a depressive state of mind. However, a person who exists to serve a purpose and goal in the future can build a strong character, even in the most destructive places.
Dr. Frankl dives deeper into the topic of the meaning of life when he says “it did not really matter what we expected from life, but rather what life expects from us.” Life constantly puts us up in front of tasks and challenges, and bestows upon us & dares us to find the right answers. In life, one of the main challenges is suffering, and Dr. Frankl teaches us that rather than turning our backs on suffering, we must embrace it and be courageous enough to suffer. There are great opportunities to be found in suffering, if only we challenge them, rather than turn our backs on them.
Dr. Viktor Frankl puts in front of us the connection and correlation between suffering and purposeful existence when he says “He who knows the ‘Why’ for his existence, will be able to bear almost any ‘How’”
Man’s Search For Meaning is an educating and insightful book on mental health, what it means in imprisonment, in purposefulness, and in life. It can teach one many things about themselves, as it gives the motivation to search deeper for a meaning in their life. It gives me the motivation to explore more of the meaningful sides of my life; such as my career, friendships and relationships, and my future.
