Man's Search For Meaning

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Summary: WOW, heavy and important and peaceful......
Review: 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

Rating:
Summary: Might be the most important book you ever read.
Review: If you were assigned to read this book in school years ago, maybe you can't remember what all the fuss is about. At last count, 152 Amazon reviewers gave this book an average of 5 stars. It is undoubtably on the short list for "Books that Changed My Live" for countless people. I suggest that the real wisdom to be found in this book comes not on the first reading, but upon re-reading (luckily, the book is short and moves quickly, too). All of the self-help books out there, from Deepak Chopra to Stephen Covey to Dr. Phil, are mere twaddle compared to this book. There is more truth and wisdom in one sentence of Frankl than in many volumes of other books. Do yourself a favor and buy this book (and pass a copy on to a friend afterward). You will immediately see positive changes in your life. And don't be dissuaded by the context, believe it or not, this is a life-affirming book that happens to take place in a concentration camp.

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Summary: Meaning out of Mindlessness
Review: Frankl's classic remains one of the most influential works of the 20th (and 21st) Century. It combines its highly moving account of Frankl's experiences in concentration camps with "Logotherapy," his therapeutic method developed as a result of those experiences. Long a required reading for high school and college students, the book offers an opportunity for deep reflection by anyone, regardless of his or her circumstances.

The message is timeless and universal, speaking as much to those in contemporary society as it did to those who lived through horror or atrocity. Frankl is a gifted writer presenting the reader with a unique gift.

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Summary: A Classic Work in Psychology
Review: Viktor Frankl was trained a psychiatrist before becoming imprisoned in Nazi concentration camps for three years in World War II. In the first part of Man's Search for Meaning, Experiences in a Concentration Camp, Frankl engrosses the reader the feelings and general experience of the average concentration camp prisoner. He does not focus on the horrific details of the camps, but rather, he poignantly expresses the psychological state produced by these experiences. The second part of the book, Logotherapy in a Nutshell, is a brief overview of the system of psychology that Frankl founded. The third part of the book, The Case for a Tragic Optimism, was added to the 1984 edition and is based off one of Frankl's 1983 lectures. In it, Frankl expounds logotherapy a little further. This work has won its place in history. In conjunction with being one of the main texts in the field of logotherapy, its gripping description on the concentration camps makes it not only compelling but also highly informative. This is a must read for anyone who has ever put thought into psychology, spirituality, or the meaning of life. Man's Search for Meaning is well written and not difficult to read. This short work will have an impact on anyone who reads it.

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Summary: The agony of modern man
Review: This book is divided into two parts. The first part is a mesmerizing and horrifying account of Victor Frankl's suffering and agony while imprisoned in Nazi concentration camps. His analysis of why some died and why some survived the camps is encapsulated by Nietzshe's words, "He who has a why to live for can bear with almost any how". In other words, people who had religious faith, or someone to love, or something beyond just themselves to live for, were much more likely to survive.

This forms the springboard for the second half of the book, "Logotherapy in a Nutshell", which is the theory of psychiatry that he developed as a result of his experiences in the concentration camps. In it, he argues that "man's search for meaning is the primary motivation of his life", and that people exist in an existential vacuum unless they can find meaning through "creating a work or deed... by experiencing or encountering someone... by the attitude we take toward unavoidable suffering". In other words, a person finds meaning in life by "giving himself to a cause to serve or another person to love".

The book describes the Hell created by a brutal twentieth century religion, National Socialism. It also discusses Man's need for the transcendent in his life. There is an inherent contradiction in the book, because the Nazis were inspired to create a transcendent vision of life (at least in part by Nietzsche), which gave them a "why" to live. This also affected "how" they lived, engaging in activities such as building concentration camps, invading Poland, etc etc. These were evil deeds: clearly the "why" and the "how" both matter. Frankl gives us no guidelines on how to judge and defend ourselves from various manifestations of the "will to meaning" that create false, brutal, dehumanizing ideologies and religions. The Reader is should be aware of the limitations of Frankl's book and of logotherapy.

Rating:
Summary: Important and Soulful
Review: At a time in my life when I thought there could be no hope, no God, and little goodness - when I had seen such cruelty through my profession that I despaired at the horrific reality of man's evil soul - Frankl's book was a beacon of generosity of spirit and unwavering belief that there is meaning in all experiences. Frankl's highly personal account of war crimes and his practical logotherapy that resulted deserves careful reading - he earned that respect with blood - and for military or law enforcement professionals who are burdened with the worst of humanity, Frankl offers mature understanding and legitimate hope for us all. David R. Bannon, Ph.D.; author "Race Against Evil."

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Summary: Looking deep inside and coming out on top.
Review: In Man's Search for Meaning, Frankl writes:

"[...] how does a human being go about finding meaning? [...] this situation has to be evaluated [...] in the light of a hierarchy of values. These values [...] are founded on our biological past and are rooted in our biological depth [...] If a pre-reflective axiological self-understanding exists, we may assume that it is ultimately anchored in our biological heritage" (Frankl 169-70).

In response, it is argued that man is not "essential" he is in a constant state of becoming. He can transcend the biology as suggested by Dennett in Darwin's Dangerous Idea via culture (Dennett 504). The impetus may come from the outside, if referring to culture, but, as Frankl suggests, the change comes from within.

"But what about human liberty? Is there no spiritual freedom in regard to behavior and reaction to any given surroundings? Is that theory true which would have us believe that man is no more than a product of many conditional and environmental factors -- be they biological, psychological or sociological nature? Is man but an accidental product of these? Most important, do the prisonersEreaction to the singular world of the concentration camp prove that man cannot escape the influence of his surroundings? Does man have no choice of action in the face of such circumstances?"(Frankl 86)

Frankl replies, "Man can preserve a vestige of spiritual freedom, of independence of mind, even in such terrible conditions of psychic and physical stress" (Frankl 86). From an Existentialist perspective, it is existence over essence that, moreover, from a Humanist perspective gives man agency and not just an automaton subject to the whims of mindless institutions, subatomic considerations or proteonic reproduction. Man transcends via emotion.

There is more: "All that oppressed me at that moment became objective, seen and described from the remote viewpoint of science. By this method I succeeded somehow in rising above the situation, above the sufferings of the moment, and I observed them as if they were already of the past. Emotion, which is suffering, ceases to be suffering as soon as we form a clear and precise picture of it" (Frankl 82).

Emotions, despite the negative press are a strong survival tool. Even if emotion inhibits the brain from an objective view, often times muddying the waters with such immeasurable as desire, fear and hate. Passions alter our perspective and inevitably adds a personal signature to the situation. We cannot always be the "disinterested observer" we are the situation and we have become the object of study. By elevating ourselves above the emotional states we place ourselves in, we can try to perceive the situation objectively. By being objective and exercising our agency as individuals we can take "The opportunities to make something positive of camp life" (Frankl 80). In a sense, a form of Carpe Diem Ewe seize the moment. There are constraints, no doubt, to this radical sense of free will, a sense that situations change, conditions alter. However, having outlined the quotation above, we can adapt, we can move outside the limitations of the situation and exercise agency.

"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. These tasks, and therefore the meaning of life, differ from man to man, and from moment to moment. Thus it is impossible to define the meaning of life in a general way"(Frankl 98).

To live up to Sartre or Camus' Existential edict, everyone is answerable for finding one's own rationale in life and is responsible for those decisions. Like all "process" this is not static, we are flux, so is the process of finding meaning. It is a procedure that will need to be repetitive, changing for different times and conditions. It is the outcome of this course of action that allows us to be ourselves as willing subjects but constrained - not determined - nonetheless, by ever-altering conditions.

Miguel Llora

Rating:
Summary: Bluntly...this book is a must read
Review: As Viktor Frankl, was a victim of Nazi beasts,and suffered and
struggled to find the meaning of life while in Auschwitz. Some people found themselves confused why he'd still keep writing in German. One woman dared to ask him:

"How can you still write some of your books in German, in Adolf
Hitler's language" asked the american woman.
Viktor answered calmly "How can you still use knives after so many killers have used them to stab and murder their victims"

I thought, to quote the situation above was most essential and the simpliest way to tell other readers that this book is absolutely filled up with similar extremely smart comments.

Unfortunetaly, a lot of writers publish books for the world and to understand them it's so difficult if not impossible - because
they write the books to themselves.
Fortunetaly, Viktor Frankl doesn't belong to that group of writers. His writings are so meaningful,inspirational,educational
and he never fails to get to the point without boring a reader with unneccessary words. You'll find this book very interesting
and very useful for the future.

Rating:
Summary: Well Worth the Time to Read
Review: This book won't take long to read but packs a powerful punch. The first section deals with life inside a concentration camp. Give this a re-read when you find yourself cursing in traffic on your way to your air conditioned office or taking your kids to soccer.

The second part is a brief description of the authors variation of psychotherapy called "logotherapy". Logo or "meaning" becomes the emphasis of the therapy, searching to find a meaning or a way to use your life (regardless of circumstance) to do or stand for something instead of going in circles trying to find "happiness". Suffering is bearable when it is for a greater cause, this is another tenant. All in all this is great food for thought and a very interesting and worthwhile work.

Rating:
Summary: Meaningful, and to the point
Review: I re-read Man's Search for Meaning after my mother passed away. She had suffered in her final month, and had left me and my siblings without a mother at a fairly young age. Being able to think about the meaning of one's life, the purpose of suffering, and the spiritual drive that transcends us was very comforting. I now realize that every challenge I face is a new test, and every time I pass the test I can become a stronger human with more gifts to give.

As much as Frankl's message, I also appreciate his brevity. Many would have been compelled to write a 1000 page tome, but Frankl kept it brief and to the point. Because of that, I think each word carries even more significance.

If you haven't read this book, it should be the next one on your list.