Man's Search For Meaning

ISBN: 9781846041242

Format: Paperback / softback

Author: gid://shopify/Metaobject/79538127084

Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl is a profound, thought-provoking memoir and psychological exploration that delves into the harrowing experiences of life in Nazi concentration camps, intertwined with the author's groundbreaking theories on existential psychology. The book is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit, offering a beacon of hope and a roadmap for finding purpose amidst unimaginable suffering.

Viktor Frankl, a prominent Viennese psychiatrist, was interned in Auschwitz and other concentration camps during World War II. Through his unique perspective as a trained observer of human behaviour, he recounts the daily struggles and conditions of the prisoners, shedding light on how different individuals coped with the brutality and dehumanisation they faced. Frankl observed that those who managed to find meaning, even in the direst circumstances, were more likely to survive. These individuals often demonstrated selflessness, offering comfort to others and sharing even the meagre rations they had, illustrating an indomitable will to maintain their humanity.

One of the core revelations Frankl shares is the idea that while external circumstances can strip away almost everything from a person, one's inner freedom - the ability to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances - remains inviolable. He posits that the type of person a prisoner becomes is primarily determined by an inner decision rather than the oppressive external conditions of the camp. Those who clung to their moral and spiritual selves, despite the overwhelming odds, managed to transform their suffering into a form of inner triumph, transcending the camps' dehumanising influence.

Frankl's experiences led him to develop his theory of logotherapy, centred on the belief that the primary motivational force in humans is the search for meaning. He argues tha...