Does Man's Search For Meaning Worth The Read?

Please Note

The following book summary is a collection of my notes and highlights taken straight from the book. Most of them are direct quote, while some are paraphrases. Most of the text is my own work, very little is same, that is just to explain the book.

Short Book Summary

The book is divided into 2 parts which was in original version of book 1947, later foreword, preface and postscript is added. All of these are written by different writer. The part 1 explain Victor experience in a concentration camp and part 2 explain logotherapy in a nutshell. 

The foreword and preface review the book, and Victor E .Frankl work, and provide insight of the event. Part 1 explain the Victor terrible life in Nazi concentration camp where he analysed the psychology of prisoners and what kept them alive during such catastrophe

foreword and preface encloses some wisdom which must to read who ever is reading this book. Part 1 is originally written by Frankl  , he jot down the important events of the camp, these events inspired frankl work which we are reading now. This gave his new insight. He was a licensed  psychiatrist practising and researching but unfortunately his manuscript was taken away from him. He did 

recollect his book by living in camp and contemplating the behaviour of prisoners.

In several places, he mentioned that hope was key component in keeping him alive. The sense of purpose and how some prisoners including himself found the meaning of life and why God  had kept them alive.

In unite 2 the logotherapy is explained in detail it and  importance and how it can help people in distress? to find their purpose of life. He also criticised  and opposed the nihilism. Much of his work is inspired from sigmund Freud and Adler. This part is indeed difficult to understand and required deep focus.

In postscript, the case of tragic optimism is explained, it means to remain hopeful in spite of the tragic triad; pain, guilt and death. It is also a part of logotherapy. In whole his emphasises reader to find their purpose and give your life a meaning. If you have meaning you can come through anything.

My Review Of The Book

I am a book lover especially non-fiction. Every book gives new wisdom and contain solution to your many problems. This book is for people who are experiencing existential crises, feeling lack of motivation for life. You don't necessarily have to live in concentration camp to feel pessimistic. I believe this emotion can occur to any person at any stage of life. Therefore I recommend everyone to read this book.

 

This book successfully  triggers our inner peace and questions about our purpose of life. It took me a while to understand whats my purpose, whats keeping me alive? is it because i was born an d going with the flow of life or I am choosing my own path. 

first time he mentioned Dosteovski while explaining his life on concentration camp at Auschwitz. I am also fond of Dosteovski 's work. He quoted " man can get used to anything irrespective of their past, but don't ask how". You will find this statement true after reading book. Speaking of  Dosteovski , he says " We all should be worthy of all suffering" He regarded suffering as blessing, and a mean to grow oneself . We shouldn't let our misery to make us bitter and resentful.

What's kept Frankl alive in torturous camp environment where they were considered subhuman . Nietzsche once said " he who has a why to live for can bear with anyhow". Frankl had two purpose first to complete his book, which was taken away during his admission to the camp and second is a hope to meet his beloved wife.

Similarly we all need to find our why? a purpose to bear our suffering, something to look forward to. Otherwise, there is absolutely no point to suffer as suffering has no limit. Your purpose shouldn't be temporary. it should be eternal.

logotherapy

It is the type of psychotherapy, to help patient find their purpose. It is founded by Frankl in 1962. A very good analogy, to explain it is that it gives lens to patient to help them in recognising their purpose. Man don't need tensionless state, but struggling and striving for worthwhile goal.

People who lacks purpose in life experience inner emptiness, a void and frustration. Inner emptiness manifests itself as distress and boredom.

How to find our purpose?

There are three ways mentioned in this book. Note that purpose of life is always one, it can changes.

1- By creating a or doing a deed.

2-By encountering someone ( by experiencing love)

3- By the attitude , we take towards unavoidable suffering( by finding meaning in suffering? )

The Concept Of Hyper-intention.

It means fear and forced intention of doing something makes thing impossible to happen.

This can be explained by the example of sexual neurosis,  the more women try to demonstrate orgasm, the less they are able to succeed, if you make pleasure your goal you wouldn't attain it. What to do instead is to divert your attention away from your pleasure to your partner. The pleasure will come as by-product.

The solution of hyper-intention is paradoxical intention. Trying to do opposite of what we have trying to do. It is performed by psychoanalyst, in case of phobia and fear. Hyper-intention makes the task impossible to happen, by paradoxical intention, we can divert our attention to do entirely opposite of what we are trying to do.

Taking the example of insomnia, the patients fear of sleeplessness and hyper-intention, make it difficult for them to fall a sleep, in that case patient should try to not fall a sleep and keep him awake, as a result he would feel sleepy and go to bed early. Frankl even perform this experiment on his patients and according to him the results were positive.

Tragic Optimism

The optimism in face of tragedy such as pain,guilt and death. It changes the behaviour of person towards life problem and help them to find peace. It makes suffering bearable. Tragic optimism allow us to turn suffering into a human achievement, let our guilt to change oneself for the better, using our life's transitoriness to make change by taking action.